


Like Cats and Dogs

by CQueen



Series: Fur Will Fly [1]
Category: Dark Knight Rises (2012), Inception (2010)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Human Experimentation, M/M, Mpreg
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-03
Updated: 2014-12-12
Packaged: 2017-12-10 07:26:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 24
Words: 74,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/783394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CQueen/pseuds/CQueen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Everyone says that Arthur and Eames fight like cats and dogs, but what they don't know is that that's precisely what the two men are. And these genetically altered dream workers are about to find out just how compatible they actually are...if they don't kill each other first.</p><p>And that's before Arthur's twin brother and Eames's hometown gets involved.  </p><p>Then the fur will fly.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. You Give Me Fever

Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the situations all characters will be finding themselves in. Everything else belongs to someone else and that's just the way it's gotta be.

You Give Me Fever

Arthur was in a piss poor mood and he knew it was only going to get worse when Dom arrived with Eames. He'd been feeling out of sorts for the last couple days now, likely the dread of knowing Eames was coming getting to him, and yet…and yet that wasn't quite it either. He'd had strange stomach cramps two days ago, and though the pain had stopped his body felt off to him in a way Arthur couldn't put into words. He'd always been very conscious of his health, keeping a close eye on it, so he'd noted the slight increase in temperature, the increase in appetite, and his…sensitivity when it came to his senses. His sense of smell and touch in particular…he didn't know what to make of it.

Part of his current bad temper stemmed from the fact that Arthur was worried Eames would pick up on the changes and bother him about them. Of course Eames also tended to avoid getting too close to him since the other man hated his scent. Or more specifically, the forger despised the products he slathered on himself to disguise his natural scent so that Eames and others like the man wouldn't be able to recognizing him for what he was, Arthur mentally clarified. It was one thing for him to know what Eames was and quite another for the forger to be equally aware. Better that Eames thought they fought like cats and dogs because of their personalities, not because they both contained those animals' genes.

Nearly forty years ago elite British soldiers had been asked to participate in a top secret program whose aim was to genetically enhance them into super soldiers using wolf DNA. The monetary rewards for participating had been enough that there had been a decent amount of volunteers, Eames's then unmarried father among them. The degree of success had varied from man to man, the experiments canceled when it was decided that it wasn't cost efficient given the overall results.

It should have ended there, but a paramilitary fringe group in America had learned of the experiments, gotten ahold of the British scientists' findings, and had used their deep pockets to fund new experiments of a much less humane sort. This time around the only volunteers had been the women who agreed to be impregnated with genetically altered, fertilized eggs. The children that had survived and were considered viable had been raised to be soldiers and assassins, saved from that end by those who'd been involved with the original experiments. When they'd learned of the children they'd forced the American government to move in and retrieve the children, though many had been old enough by that point to escape their newest captors and go into hiding.

He didn't fear Eames would turn him in…no, he just didn't want the man to look at him with pity or worse…start making cat jokes and comments every time they crossed paths.

What was that smell?

Wanting to purr as the mouth-wateringly scent reached his nose, Arthur sat up straight and glanced in Ariadne's direction, making sure she was still lost in her dream blueprints before turning in his seat so that he could concentrate fully on analyzing the layers to the scent that ruffled his nonexistent fur in the most sensual of ways. He smelled Eames, who admittedly always smelled sexy to him, but this was more, so much more. This was 'I want to get naked and roll around in this scent for the next century' sexy.

Getting to his feet, determined to find the cause, Arthur wondered to himself if what he was smelling was the chemist Eames had apparently recommended for the coming job. He didn't believe in mixing business with pleasure, but dear God if the man was as good looking as he smelled he might just make an-Oh shit no!

)

Equally broadsided Eames didn't know what the hell to make of the change in Arthur's scent. Not that he'd ever known what the blasted point man natural scent was as he'd never been able to catch the man when his body wasn't coated in hair and skin products. Naturally it had always driven him nuts, especially since his highly sensitive nose had ever so often told him that Arthur just might smell really good under all that crap, and now…oh bloody hell now he was getting some idea of what he'd been missing big time.

The man's smell was still coated with product, naturally, but he could detect a richly sexual and lush scent under it that beckoned him, wrapping around him like a lover's embrace. There was nothing he wanted more in that moment than to bury his face in the other man's neck and just breath in like a former chain smoker presented with a cloud of nicotine laced smoke.

What the hell?!

"Arthur? Are you all right?"

As Eames watched the man in question nodded, though he was keenly aware that Arthur was staring at him and not greeting them, which the man's obsession with manners would usually demand. If he didn't know better he'd say that Arthur had been hit by the same bolt of unexpected lust that he had.

"Welcome back, Mr. Cobb." A girl Eames didn't know but assumed was the architect for this latest job said as she came to stand beside Arthur. And though Eames couldn't begin to phantom why he would feel this way…he wanted to push her away from the point man and make his claim known, demand that she never stand so close to HIS Arthur again. Ever. Under penalty of extreme maiming. She was a girl so he couldn't kill her unless further provoked.

Eames's human side warred with the animal, who'd suddenly decided that it wanted to possess the cool, annoyingly logical and straight laced point man who'd previously only amused or peeved the wolf inside him.

Thank God the man was winning by the time Cobb had finished introducing Yusuf to Ariadne and was now doing the same for him.

Taking the hand she offered Eames kissed it to give him a few moments more to gain control before he told her how enchanted he was to meet her, smiling over the way she blushed and shyly returned his greeting.

It didn't escape him that Arthur was looking at him with cool dislike now, but that was normal enough and Eames told himself that surely he must have imagined the man's earlier interest.

Now if only he could say the same about his own feelings.

Ridiculously grateful when Yusuf asked for his help bringing in his equipment while Dom and their new employer caught up with Arthur, Eames followed the other man out of the immediate area to where they'd parked the small van they'd rented earlier. Hours stuck on a plane, on top of this new curve he'd been thrown with Arthur's scent, made even a few minutes of moving and purely physical activity a welcome reprieve.

"You know, my friend, I am curious about something."

"And what's that?"

"You have told me much about Cobb's partner Arthur and how much the two of you don't get along and why, but you never mentioned that you two were once lovers."

Nearly dropping the box he was carrying, thank God for his enhanced reflexes, Eames turned his head to give Yusuf a less than amused look. "I have better taste than that, thank you very much. I'm fairly sure he wears his bleeding suits to bed."

Yusuf's expression made it clear he doubted the man's protests. "Perhaps I am wrong…but you look at each other as though you have claim over the other. He did not like you kissing Miss. Ariadne's hand, and you did not like how close he stood to her when we arrived."

He couldn't help it… "He looked jealous to you?"

"He did."

Huh. Well that was…interesting. But nothing, the forger assured himself. Yusuf was wrong on both counts no doubt and this was going to be like every other job he'd ever had with the best point man in the business. He'd be alternating between wanting to strangle the man and push his buttons in no time.

"Maybe he's interested in her, ever think of that?" And as soon as the words were out of his mouth Eames felt a completely unreasonable but terrifyingly strong surge of possessive jealousy swamp over him.

"No, I think my earlier observant was correct. And if you wish me to believe you have no interest…I can perhaps create a little something to turn you a little less green."

Not amused, Eames informed the other man that he could carry his own boxes. He was going back to join the others and show Yusuf and himself that he was just fine being around Arthur and that this strange reaction they were having to each other was an anomaly that would pass within the hour.

)

Two Weeks Later

Eames had decided that there was no God, or if there was said god was female and currently PMSing, taking that fact out indiscriminately on the men she'd created. Or maybe she was targeting him specifically because he wasn't a hundred percent natural thanks to his dad volunteering to be a human test subject. That could be it. But really, that wasn't his fault, and punishing him this way, through slow, nearly unrelenting torture, was just plain mean. At this point he'd almost prefer regular torture; at least then he'd be bound and wouldn't have to worry that he'd jump Arthur in a weak moment, tearing the man's clothes off and taking him right then and there regardless of their surroundings or possible audience.

Arthur's smell was getting stronger and stronger every day and it was driving him insane. He'd thought about asking the man to change whatever products he was using, but that had never gotten him anywhere in the past and the man was constantly in a bad mood these days. Arthur knew about his unique genetics, the man could find out anything if he put his mind to it, but his pleas on behalf of his sensitive nose would likely only encourage the man to use more crap on his sexy body. Argh!

If he could have quit the job he would have-but that wasn't an option. You didn't run out on Hikaru Saito, not if you wanted to live. And even if he'd been able to work something out there it would look like it was the job he was afraid of, not his ability to control his raging hormones. He was not damaging his rep over this.

Dammit…if he hadn't known better he'd think one of them was in heat, for fuck sakes. But they were both males and Arthur was totally human and…and very much aware of him too. And that was one of the other major problems with their present situation. If it had just been him he might have been able to rein himself in easier, but for some reason the god who hated him had decided to suddenly make the point man aware of him sexually too. How interested Arthur was was hard to gauge, the man had a killer poker face, but the man had slipped enough times in the last couple weeks that he'd seen hints that Arthur wouldn't be completely adverse to the idea of being jumped and ravished.

But the annoying prat hadn't made a move.

He'd flirted more than usual, trying to get some hint that if he outright propositioned the man Arthur wouldn't shoot him, but the brunette remained cool and distant-except for the occasional eye fuck when he thought no one was watching.

Personally he was so frustrated that he was taking almost unholy glee out of watching Arthur being knocked out of chairs during Yusuf's testing.

But he just had to last another five days, Eames reminded himself. Just a few days more and then he would be on a plane to the US so that he could study Browning up close and personal for the job. He'd be on the other side of the bloody ocean and he'd damn well find someone while he was there that could scratch this craving he had for the arrogant ass currently sitting on the other side of the room.

Naturally, in the mood he was in, the stupid little voice inside his head just had to point out that he'd gone out the last two nights looking for someone to take back to his hotel room with him and that both times he'd come back alone. He'd gone to clubs, and he'd been hit on plenty, but none of them had appealed, had made his body sit up and take notice.

God hated him seriously.

Scenting Arthur getting closer Eames prayed for strength and turned around in his swivel chair to face the man head on. "Hello, Darling. Come to scold me for something?"

"Come with me."

Eyebrows raising at the point man's tone of voice and the fact that he found the command in it undeniably sexy as hell, Eames got out of his seat but didn't move as he inquired as to just where they were going. It was almost time for them to call it a night after all, Ariadne had already left.

Rather than answer him Arthur just gave him a look that said he was to be obeyed and then the point man turned on his no doubt very overpriced shoe heels and walked off without a backward glance.

Cursing both the man and his stupid curiosity Eames grabbed his jacket and hurried after the cause of all his problems. He was wearing the jacket by the time they'd exited the warehouse and he didn't quite know what to think when he saw that there was a car waiting nearby that apparently belonged to Arthur for the moment as the man walked over to it and unlocked the driver side door. Getting into the passenger side Eames was soon bitch slapped by the fact that this was a very, very bad idea as the doors closed, thus locking him into a small space that was quickly filling up with the other man's orgasm inducing scent.

"Arthur…."

"Just buckle up and stay quiet, please. We'll be there in twenty minutes and then I'll explain."

Since he needed to concentrate on not reacting to the other man Eames figured that was probably for the best, staring out the side window while doing his best to ignore the fact that he had company of the oh so fuckable sort. He would try and figure out where the hell they were going by the direction they took and scenery, the forger decided, wishing he could pinch or plug up his nose as he strove to retain what was left of his sanity.

The warehouse was already on the outskirts of the city they were in, and they kept driving further away from it and the hotel they were staying at. And because his eyes kept going to the clock, counting down the seconds until he could get out of the vehicle, Eames saw with a mixture of amusement and no real surprise that Arthur hadn't been kidding about the time it would take to get to their destination. The real surprise was that they'd just pulled up in front of what looked like a quaint, almost fairy tale cottage in the French countryside.

Staring at the structure Eames jolted when Arthur turned off the engine and opened his door, fresh air diluting the man's scent just enough that he could focus a little more on trying to figure out what the hell was going on. And as he watched, waiting for that explanation to come, the other man undid his seat belt and then got out of the car without a word, retrieving what turned out to be a duffel bag from the backseat.

Undoing his own seatbelt Eames hurried after the point man, noting that Arthur let himself into the front door like he owned the place.

"Arthur, what the hell? What is this place?"

"It's a cottage rich tourists can rent. It's ours for the next three days."

"And we would need a cottage for three days why?"

"Get in and I'll explain."

He was so confused that he did as ordered, finding the inside cosy and welcoming when Arthur switched on the lights. Hanging up his coat when Arthur did Eames wandered further into the one story structure before turning around, his arms folded in front of him.

Arthur met his gaze and threw the bag at Eames's chest, the man catching it automatically.

"The bedroom is through there, that's the bathroom beside it." Arthur pointed to each door in turn. "There's enough clothes for both of us in there, but they shouldn't be necessary. We have a problem, and we need to take care of it before we both end up dodging Saito's men and their bullets."

"Not following you here, Darling."

"You can't concentrate on your work because you're too busy eye fucking me in between amusing yourself at my expense. I can't concentrate because of that and because you're having the same effect on me that I seem to be having on you. So we're here for the next three days to work it out of our systems so that you leave here with your head on straight and I can get back to my work without feeling like you're going to push me over my desk and fuck my ass like I'm a bitch in heat."

Okay…he had no idea what he was supposed to say to that. Not that his brain was up to doing much more than imagining, for the billionth time, how fucking amazing it would be to use Arthur's desk in precisely that manner.

"I'm going to use the shower. If you don't want to stay there's a list of phone numbers on the fridge. Call yourself a cab. Otherwise, you could save me some time by being naked on the king-sized bed waiting for us when I get out. It's up to you."


	2. Into The Night

Into The Night

Left holding the bag, literally, Eames watched Arthur walk over to the door that apparently led to the bathroom and then the point man was closing said door behind him without so much as a backward glance. What the hell? Was this Arthur's idea of a joke? Could he be serious? Had Arthur actually just told him that they were going to spend the next three DAYS fucking around like rabbits in this fairy tale cottage? And all that despite the fact that they were technically on a job and the point man didn't understand the concept of having fun while you worked?

With his free hand Eames pinched his cheek as hard as he could, confirming that he was indeed awake and this wasn't some dream.

Well fuck.

And then the sound of the shower running drew his attention back towards the bathroom, telling him that odds were Arthur was currently naked in the shower. Naked in the shower with the possible intention of coming out of the bathroom still naked for his viewing pleasure. Licking his lips at the thought Eames lowered his gaze to the bag, opening it to see that it indeed contained clothes that weren't his, but were in his sizes. None for Arthur though, and curiosity and a desire to see the point man naked led Eames to the bedroom door, letting himself in to survey the room.

The bed was indeed king sized, the sheets already turned back and waiting for them. He could smell Arthur's scent around the room so obviously this wasn't the man's first time visiting it. As he expected Arthur's clothes for the stay were already hung up in the closet, Eames stowing the bag in there with them.

That task taken care of he headed over to get a closer look at the bed, noting with pleasure the large container of lube waiting for them on the bedside table. He did so appreciate Arthur's habit of thinking ahead at times like-there weren't any condoms.

Frowning Eames opened the bedside table's single drawer and found nothing. Huh. Not that he could have used one of course, but he hadn't expected Arthur to know that. It was a little disconcerting really, that Arthur had so thoroughly researched him that the point man knew that because of knotting it was pointless for him to even try to wear a condom. Naturally he always pulled out even though he couldn't get or pass on sexually transmitted diseases, because it made his lovers more comfortable and the being stuck inside someone for twenty minutes didn't really appeal to him.

Of course real wolves had it harder, no pun intended.

Chuckling at the thought Eames turned his gaze back to the bed, asking himself if they were being completely crazy here. Normally he thought nothing of mixing business with pleasure, but this was Arthur he was thinking about. If this thing blew up in their faces the other man would make him pay for years, possibly even a decade to come. Arthur was the type to hold a grudge with extreme, coldblooded prejudice.

He was still pondering the dilemma minutes later when he heard the bathroom door opening and closing, his nose catching hints of the scent that would enslave him before the bedroom door opened and in stepped Arthur, clad only in a towel around his waist and without a hint of product to hide his true scent.

Eames didn't think, he just moved.

Slamming Arthur back against the wall adjacent to the door Eames snarled possessively and then took what was his, ravishing the other man's mouth with a single-mindness that had Arthur doing the same with equal passion as he wrapped his arms around the forger's neck. They were aware of each other on the most primitive of levels and mating, claiming, were all they could think of as they did precisely that with their mouths, tongues and teeth.

Yanking the towel off Arthur's hips Eames let it fall to the ground and then used his superior strength to lift the other man up so that Arthur's legs were now around his waist so that he could grind their hips together in a fashion guaranteed to fry both their brains ASAP.

Making out with all the finesse and desperation of teenagers, the two men exchanged sloppy, wet kisses and were more concerned about reaching the end goal than foreplay as they rubbed their erections against each other's. Foreplay could wait as far as they were concerned, their need far greater than their brain power at the moment. They could do all that other stuff later, mating was what was important now.

With that in mind Eames stumbled over to the bed with the other man in his arms, dropping Arthur down onto the covers so that he could start stripping off his own clothes. At this point he didn't care if he popped a button or two, Eames's gaze moving hungrily over the body Arthur was quite deliberately putting on display. And it was then that the marks that decorated the other man's body sunk in, cutting through the haze of lust and scent as the meaning behind those well healed scars registered. He was the son of a doctor after all, and had had some medical training at her insistence in case he needed to treat himself at some point. The scars that marred all that lightly tanned skin were old, possible two decades old, but that just meant that all these wounds had been received while Arthur was only a boy.

"Eames."

Looking up to meet Arthur's gaze Eames was unaware of the horrified expression he was wearing or how long he'd been staring.

Aware of where Eames's thoughts were now, and not liking the expected interruption one little bit, Arthur shifted forward and decided to take advantage of the fact that Eames had already unhooked his trousers even if they were still in place. Thankfully the forger had opted to go commando that day, so it was simple enough to pull the man's erection out and then holding it firmly in hand began to lap at it like an ice cream cone.

Hips jerking in shock, Eames hands automatically dove into Arthur's hair as his brain tried to process the fact that the man had a tongue like a friggin cat. He'd noted that the point man's tongue had felt a little rough earlier, but on the far more sensitive skin of his shaft he felt like the nerves there were being scrapped raw with every flick of the man's tongue. It was borderline too rough, Arthur seeming to know just how to balance the action so that it was both pain and incredibly pleasurable, making him moan and curse in equal measure as his brain tried to sort the sensation out.

When it became too much, which wasn't long, Eames pushed Arthur back on the bed again, discarding the rest of his clothing and then pouncing on his prey with renewed interest.

Letting Eames take the lead Arthur concentrated on the other man's scent, breathing it in like the drug it was for him while he mentally thanked the powers that be that the licking had apparently driven all thoughts of prolonging things from the other man's head, Eames's hands rough and definitely heading south as they moved over his more than willing body.

Lust clouding his brain enough that the scars didn't register anymore, though he'd explore them thoroughly later, Eames concentrated solely on stroking a possessive hand down the man's back on the way to the point man's ass, pausing when his fingers passed over an unexpected bump just above said ass, Arthur gasping at the touch.

"Birth defect. Sensitive." Arthur informed him breathlessly, obviously knowing that Eames would be too distracted to keep doing what he was doing if he didn't know. "Keep touching me."

Willing to do precisely that Eames couldn't help but circle his finger around the bump one last time, wanting to know if it was a good or bad kind of sensitive. Good sensitive, he concluded when Arthur moaned very loudly this time at the touch. Interesting. He'd have to experiment with it more after he'd taken care of the fact that he was going to die if he didn't get into Arthur's ass ASAP.

Taking the lube from Arthur, the man just as impatient apparently, Eames quickly slicked up his fingers before sliding his hand between the legs Arthur had already spread wide for him. It surprised him how easily his first finger went in, the second as well. Someone had prepared himself earlier, Eames decided, incredibly turned on by the mental images of Arthur opening himself up in the shower for him. It was such an Arthur thing to do, too, wanting to control as many aspects as possible.

Arthur's demand for a third finger broke his concentration, Eames giving into the man's demand quite happily. They had three days, the forger thought as he savored every moan and gasp that slid past Arthur's swollen lips as his fingers pleasured him to the point where the man was pleading for more. He'd take it slow next time, right now was for claiming and taking the edge off. This had been a very, very long time coming as far as he was now concerned.

"You know about the protection thing?" He asked, not wanting to assume. The chances of more sex would greatly diminish if he didn't at least ask before fucking the man bareback.

"I know." Arthur literally growled out. "And if you don't take me now I'm going to change our positions and ride you into the fucking ground."

Liking that mental image quite a bit Eames told Arthur to remember that threat later and then pulled out his fingers, jacking the other man's legs up around his hips before reaching down to guide his erection to where they both wanted it most.

More than ready for him Arthur squirmed and bucked his body to speed Eames's up, not wanting to wait for the man to work his way in. He wanted Eames buried deep inside of him and he wanted it now, Arthur digging his nails into the man's sweaty shoulders and all but purring his demands for Eames to fuck him hard and fast. To take him. To show them both what they'd been missing.

Eames wanted to take things a little slower than that, he didn't want to be rushed now that he finally had Arthur where he wanted him, but the wolf had other ideas, drunk on Arthur's scent, and with a snarl the animal took over with the solitary goal to mate their bodies and stake his claim over Arthur in the most basic of ways. Every powerful, deep thrust conveyed this, his erection always remaining slightly inside the other man's ass so that they were never parted while he fucked the very breath from Arthur's lungs.

And he had no intention of stopping until he'd filled the man's ass with his cum.

)

Knowing in some dim corner of his mind when he was getting perilously close to climaxing, Eames growled and then cursed under his breath, not at all happy to have to leave the tight, wet heat of Arthur's body. But like all of his kind he'd learned early on how to enforce his human will and the fact that he couldn't, under any circumstances, knot inside Arthur was something the wolf could understand when the human side reminded it that Arthur wouldn't want to have sex with him again if they were to knot, and both man and wolf wanted sex more than knotting. The drive to claim Arthur that way was scary strong though, Eames having to bite down on his bottom lip hard enough to draw blood before he could bring himself to do it.

Starting to pull out Eames's whole body jerked in surprise with it was Arthur's turn to growl and curse, the man's legs suddenly tightening around his waist as Arthur used strength he hadn't known the other man possessed to flip their positions so that Eames found himself flat on his back. And then Arthur was riding him as he'd threatened earlier, moving up and down his erection with hard, mind-blowing thrusts that took him deeper than before. The sensations, combined with the sight of Arthur naked, sweaty, and utterly determined to have him, had Eames forgetting all the reasons to separate them, his orgasm comings a heartbeat later.

His voice triumphant as he called out Eames's name, Arthur kept moving as the other man's erection expanded inside of him, pushing him over the edge too as his body made its approval known with the most explosive climax he's ever had.

Both men are exhausted when they're bodies finally let their minds function well enough to realize that they're tied together, covered in sweat, and have just crossed a line that there will be no going back from should they want to later. Sex like this was not something you could forget.

When he was sure he wouldn't wheeze or stammer Eames informed Arthur that it was his fault they were stuck together, just so that they were clear about that.

With a hint of purr in his voice Arthur stated that yes, he was well aware that their present circumstances was entirely his fault. Eames could give him a blow job later in thanks. He'd always had a thing for Eames's mouth after all, Arthur thought with a smug little smile, rubbing his cheek against Eames's chest since he was feeling very positive where the forger was concerned at the moment.

Okay…so Arthur liked them being stuck together? That was a little weird. He'd never met a man who liked the idea of being literally stuck inside another person. Of course Arthur was anything but ordinary, and he'd seemed to know exactly what was going to- "Have you slept with one of my kind before?" Was that the man's sudden interest in him?

Deliberately tightening his inner muscles around Eames to enjoy the feel of being knotted that much more, Arthur waited until Eames had finished groaning in tired pleasure before informing him that no, he'd never slept with a man who was part wolf. He'd slept with a couple men who had also been genetically altered like himself, but he'd avoided the wolves for the simple reason that they all talked to each other and he didn't want to advertise his existence to that particular community.

"So you just researched our sex habits?" Eames's amusement was plain in his voice, running a hand up and down Arthur's back so that it wouldn't be too obvious he was still very interested in the man's birth defect and how he reacted to having that touched.

Moaning his pleasure Arthur forgot himself enough to inform Eames that he knew about wolf sex because his brother had slept with one. Clamping his mouth shut as soon as the words had left his mouth, Arthur mentally cursed the sensitivity of what remained of the tail he'd been born with. He had not meant to let that slip out-he didn't talk about his twin to anyone.

"I didn't know you have a brother. Older or younger?"

"Older." By about three minutes. "He warned me about the knot thing." When Blake had filled him in he'd thought that someone would have to be nuts to want a wolf inside him when the knot thing happened, but his animal had had other ideas earlier, thank God. Apparently his ass was tougher than he'd though, because it was a little strange but also felt really, really good too.

"So your brother's gay too?"

"A top to my bottom. Two sides of the same coin so to speak." And not wanting to discuss his brother anymore Arthur shifted back up to a sitting position, running his hands over Eames's chest as he inquired as to just how long they'd be tied together for.

Eames knew an attempt to distract when he heard it. "I've never knotted with someone, but on average it's supposed to be between fifteen and twenty minutes for us. Do you have any more siblings, or is it just the two of you?"

Angling the fingers he'd been running over Eames's chest so that his nails were now lightly scratching over the tattooed flesh he intended to trace with his tongue later, Arthur deliberately licked his lips very slowly to gain the forger's complete attention and then informed him that if it only meant a twenty minute wait between rounds he didn't mind if Eames's wanted to continue to knot inside him.

"Between rounds?"

"We didn't come here to sleep, Mr. Eames."

Reading the look in the point man's eyes correctly Eames's swallowed hard. Oh. Oh boy.

)

Breathing out a stunned, shaky breath nearly two days later, Eames stared at the bare back facing him and ignored the temptation to run so much as a finger along the man's spine since he didn't want to wake Arthur up. Because as lowering as it was, and boy was it ever lowering, he just didn't have the stamina to go another round with the man just yet. They'd made time for the usual necessities like eating, sleeping, and even a little work…but he'd had more sex in the last couple days then he usually got in a couple of very good months. The man was a machine. An incredibly sexy and insatiable machine.

Thank God he was going to have at least a week in the States to recover before he came back.

But even as he thought that Eames had to admit that the idea of being away from Arthur now that he had him didn't sit well with him either. He wanted the man with him, to continue to find out more about the man whose walls, for the moment, were quite thoroughly breached. If he left Arthur would have plenty of time to rebuild them and what then?

Then he'd just have to tear them down again, Eames decided as he couldn't help but smile over the fact that Arthur was doing it again. The man had called him a liar when he'd told him, but his ears were working just fine, thank you very much.

Arthur was purring in his sleep. For him.


	3. Waiting For You

Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the situations all characters end up in. Thanks for reading, hope you enjoy.

Waiting For You

Staring at his lap top screen Arthur made a sound of disgust and slammed the lid shut, admitting defeat. He was pathetic, the point man told himself, completely unprofessional and totally deserving of the attempted murder Saito would no doubt try when the inception failed and they were all on the crime lord's shit list. Dammit. He had to get ahold of himself, especially since it was going to be at least another five days, maybe longer, before Eames returned from the States.

The sound of his cellphone going off distracted him, Arthur's lips quirking a little in response to it. Blake had picked the ringtone and his brother's sense of humor was twisted enough to use the theme song for the 1990s Spider-Man cartoon.

Grabbing it from his bedside table Arthur accepted the call and then put it to his ear. "Hey."

"Hey back." Came his brother's voice, identical to his own unless you factored in his superior vocabulary and his twin's love of occasionally speaking in foreign accents for fun. "How's the job going? You know I can come get you if you need me to."

"I'm fine and-and shit I slept with Eames." Dammit, he hadn't meant to admit that!

"The dog? Bane's cousin?"

Knowing better than to think he could talk his way out of discussing this Arthur sighed and confirmed that yes, it was that Eames.

Blake's snort of amusement came through loud and clear. "Well, well, you finally gave in, huh? So how was he? Better than his ball-less, bitch whipped bastard of a cousin I hope."

Yup, Blake was definitely still pissed at Eames's cousin, Arthur thought with a small smile of his own, though he could understand where his twin was coming from. He'd gotten an earful as to what had happened the last time his brother had hooked up with the infamous Bane and in his twin's place he would have left Bane naked and tied up in his webbing too. If he had that ability, which alas he did not. While both of them had the DNA of a jaguar, their 'creators' had chosen to add some different animal genes as well for shits and giggles. They'd come to regret that decision quite a bit before their end, Arthur thought with the deepest of hatred.

A change in subject was called for, Arthur told himself, doing precisely that. "The Great Bitch still got an APB out on you?" The technical Alpha of Bane's pack, Talia al Ghul, had not appreciated her up close meeting with Blake's webbing either when he'd made his dislike of her very badly timed interruption known. Last time he'd checked she was offering a lot of money for Blake's head on a platter.

"Probably." Though he wasn't worried. "Now back to the not as sexy as Bane but still sexy Eames. I will not be distracted, Little Brother."

Personally Arthur thought Eames was way hotter than his cousin, but he and his twin had different definitions of that particular word. "We had nearly three days of sex and if he hadn't had to fly to the US I'd be naked with him now instead of talking to you. He figured out the tail thing."

"Ah, our mortal weakness."

"The man is an orgasm waiting to happen, and that's all you're going to get from me."

More chuckling.

"Lucky you and the fact that I don't want to picture you having sex, much less with someone whose face resembles Bane's." Body wise the cousins were in two different leagues, but if you really looked at Bane's face when he wasn't muzzled you'd see that they not only had the same eyes, but nose, mouth and bone structure as well. 'So if you're jonesing for the guy so much why don't you call him? From what you've told me about him I'm guessing he's no stranger to phone sex."

"I'm not calling him for phone sex. It would set a bad precedent, and then he'd think he has the upper hand and become even more insufferable than he already is."

Agreeing that the men in that family were indeed insufferable Blake turned the conversation back to the job his adorable little brother was doing, all the while subtly gleaning all the information he could get on just how much this sex marathon had increased the crush Arthur had always had on Bane's forger cousin.

Quite a bit, he soon realized, which was both a very good and bad thing.

Definitely something he'd need to keep his eye on.

)

Sitting on his bed Eames waited for his call to be put through, reminding himself to stay cool and make it seem like he really was just checking up on the rest of his team and passing along some info to Arthur, needing him to look deeper into some things since the man was better at that sort of thing than him. The fact that it was after eleven over there probably meant he was going to have to keep things short too, but at least he'd be able to hear the man's voice and make sure he was still as front and center in Arthur's thoughts as he could be given the enormity of the job they were currently undertaking.

"Hello? Eames?"

Shivers going up his spine at the incredibly sexy, husky voice, Eames swallowed hard. "Hello, Arthur. Hope I didn't wake you."

"No, I wasn't sleeping." Eames's sensitive ears just caught the man's sigh, which was laced with amusement and something that sounded an awful lot like sexual need. "Your timing is as impeccable as always though."

Abruptly it occurred to the forger that perhaps he'd interrupted something, the predator showing in Eames's eyes as his fingers tightened dangerously around his cell. It was irrational and stupid to jump to that conclusion just because it was late, but he could hear clothing being adjusted and picked up on the small sounds Arthur was making that he remembered very well from their times in bed together. Someone was definitely feeling hot and bothered, and hadn't he learned firsthand that Arthur had become a nymphomaniac since their last job together? The man's sex drive was definitely in overdrive and here he was an ocean away and-

"Eames? Are you still there?"

"Ah, yeah, I am. If you have company I can…call back tomorrow." In the meantime he'd find some way to find out who was sniffing around HIS man and arrange for the bastard to meet an unfortunate end. Then he'd turn his attention to how best to punish Arthur and insure that the-

"I'm alone."

"Really?"

Intrigued by Eames's response Arthur asked him pointblank why he would think otherwise.

"I don't know quite how to answer that question without making you inclined to shoot me outside a dream when next we meet, Darling."

A long pause greeted that response and then Arthur laughed, the sexiness of it making Eames bite down on his bottom lip to keep himself from moaning in appreciation. "You have good ears, Mr. Eames. But no, I wasn't having sex with someone else when you called. I was…taking care of myself in your absence."

Oh.

Not bothering to muffle his groan this time Eames fell backward onto his bed, closing his eyes so that he could focus on the other man's voice better as he apologized for interrupting the man, though his tone made it clear he wasn't sorry at all. The only thing he was sorry about was the fact that he wasn't there to watch the man fuck himself with his own hand. And on that note…

"So you were thinking about me?"

"Maybe. You did give me some excellent material to work with before you left." Arthur added, a definite purr in his voice now, Eames's sensitive ears picking up on the sound of clothing rustling again too. "I was concentrating mainly on our last shower together."

"And who could blame you?" Just the memory had his pants feeling increasingly tight, so that he reached down to undo them even as he put his current mental images into words. "You have no idea how sexy you looked, begging for more while I had you pinned up against the tile, fucking the air out of your lungs while you were helpless to do anything but let me fuck you. You clawed the bloody hell out of my back trying to take me deeper inside you and I didn't give a shit, all I cared about was fucking you, filling you with my cum and knot. Remember how you screamed when I bit you between your neck and shoulder, coming so hard around me that you sent me over the edge and made me collapse against you, squishing you between me and the wall. Not that you cared, right, Luv?"

The sound of Arthur groaning his name wrapped around him like an embrace, the other man's breathing becoming increasingly erratic and heavy as Eames's did the same. Wanting more Eames began to describe what he intended to do to Arthur once he got back to Paris, describing in intimate detail how they were going to share a bath together that would involve him not only washing every inch of Arthur's beautiful body but making full use of the built in jets too. Then he was going to have Arthur stand up in the tub with his hands braced against the wall and he was going to lap up every drop of water that flowed off the man's skin until he was begging for release. Only then would he turn his attention to biting and sucking on that oh so sensitive nub located just above Arthur's ass, which his fingers would be making an intimate exploration of at the same time.

Eames had barely gotten two hypothetical fingers inside Arthur's ass before he could hear the man coming over the line, the sound making him groan as well as he pumped his hand up and down his own shaft as he too sought relief.

Obviously aware of what the forger had been up to while he was talking, Arthur's voice came over the line sounding very satisfied and relaxed, making what he was saying that much more sexy as he assured Eames that once he was done doing all those things to him in the bath he'd make his thanks very apparent. It would be Eames's turn to stand up then, and he'd use his tongue to make his point as he rasped his tongue over to man's erection and balls like they were ice cream cones.

Memories of Arthur doing precisely that while they'd been at the cottage assured that Eames joined Arthur in post climax bliss without much more verbal encouragement, the forger's accent thick and very British as he alternated between telling Arthur what he did to him and just saying the other man's name.

On the other end Arthur waited until Eames's breathing was a bit steadier before he thanked the man for his help and then inquired as to why he'd actually called.

Deliberately Eames drawled out his response rakishly, not wanting Arthur to know just how sappily true his answer was. "I just wanted to hear your voice, Darling."

"I see." Arthur's voice went all proper and Arthur-ish. "I'm glad to hear you're using your time over there wisely."

Eames just chuckled, shifting on the mattress so that his head was on his pillow. Closing his eyes again he focused solely on the sound of Arthur's voice and the familiarity of it. "Oh but you have no idea how much I've missed that tone, Arthur. Though I do have some info for you to look at and into should you not be too busy with other stuff. What have you been up to by the way, other than pining for me of course."

Naturally Arthur launched into a detailed account of everything everyone else was up to so that he could once again voice all the reasons why this job was not going to work, Eames not minding a bit as he just laid back and wound Arthur up for the fun of it.

His point man was so adorable when he was fired up.

)

Five Days Later

Eames was well aware of the fact that he'd been stretching the truth when he'd assured Saito that he'd observed Browning well enough that he could come back to Paris to rejoin the team. In the back of his mind was a voice reminding him of all he stood to lose if this job went south, but he ignored it easily enough since more than money and his life he wanted Arthur. The simple truth was that he couldn't concentrate on what he was supposed to be doing anyway, consumed with the content of his nightly chats with the point man and the promises they'd made regarding his homecoming.

Unfortunately the fact that his plane had been delayed twice, his mum and aunt had called with demands that he call Bane, said phone call with the extremely uncooperative man in question, and having a seatmate who talked like Minnie Mouse had greatly reduced his libido.

But he was almost at the hotel and Arthur had promised to leave a keycard to his room with the front desk, Eames reminded himself. It was, unfortunately, three in the morning, but he was going to wake the point man up anyway after he got ahold of something for his headache and that was that.

Retrieving the card once he arrived at the hotel, Eames headed to his own room first to dump his stuff and take something for the headache too. That done he quickly showered and changed, feeling marginally better and positive that he'd feel even better once he got his hands on Arthur's beautiful ass.

Heading out and down the hall Eames let himself into the other man's room, making his way through the darkness easily, his senses focused on the scent of Arthur that currently permeated the room. It was hidden beneath the products the man insisted on using, but he appreciated the fact that it wasn't as bad as it normally was.

Arriving at the bedroom door he opened it carefully, slipping soundless inside. Closing the door behind him he sensed that Arthur was indeed awake and aware, feeling the man's gaze on him before he turned around. And though very little light was coming through the shaded bedroom windows he could make out the fact that Arthur had a gun in his hand, currently pointed in his direction. "Well that's quite a welcome back, Darling."

"If you weren't welcome I would have actually shot you." Arthur pointed out as he shifted to return the gun to its earlier hiding place before informing Eames that if he wanted a proper welcome home he should get his British arse into the bed so that he could dig his nails into it while the man fucked his brains out.

Smiling wide Eames stripped of the clothes he'd recently donned and then slid under the covers Arthur held up for him. "Hello, Darling."

"Hi back." Cupping the back of Eames's head Arthur pressed close, lifting a bare leg over Eames's thigh as the man's lips settled over his. The kisses were surprisingly gentle and drawn out, Arthur sighing with pleasure when Eames turned his attention to kissing his neck. "I thought you were going to fuck my ass into the mattress as soon as you got back?" He teased primly, not at all sorry that that wasn't the case. But they had been having phone 'conversations' every night since the first and Eames's had made his impatience to have him in reality quite clear.

"As soon as my headache is gone I bloody well will."

"Do you need something for it?"

Eames shook his head before nipping Arthur's shoulder possessively. "I took something. Bane headaches take longer to dissipate than most."

Lifting his hands Arthur gently massaged Eames's temples, hoping to provide a little more relief even as his curiosity got the better of him. This was the first time the man had mentioned Bane in his company before. "You had a fight with your cousin?"

Not at all surprised to know that Arthur knew who Bane was, though he did wonder how much the point man had dug into his family, Eames decided that could wait until later since the sooner they stopped talking about Bane the sooner they could discuss far more pleasurable things, like whether the point man had bought the edible body lotion as he'd asked.

"I didn't have a fight with him, one generally doesn't have verbal fights with Bane. Just physical ones."

"He hurts you?" Arthur snarled the question, his body tensing dangerously at the idea of someone of Bane's size and strength hurting the man who was his.

Taken aback, he'd never heard Arthur snarl before, Eames blinked in surprise. Then he was touched as it occurred to him that he was seeing this whole new side of Arthur because the man was actually feeling protective of him. "No need to get angry on my account, Darling, Bane is always very careful not to hurt me when we spar." Which always bruised his ego for hours afterwards. "I just meant that he doesn't argue with people, he never loses his cool and is more self contained than you are. He even fights that way, which is why I can't beat him."

"What were you trying to fight about?"

"Oh my mum and aunt are convinced that Bane is hung up on some bloke he met eight months ago in Tibet. Mum overheard some of his…friends talking about the guy and told Aunt Grace. Personally I don't think the man knows the first thing about dating someone, and he says they're wrong about there being someone, but who knows with him." Eames shrugged and then rolled them over so that he was on top. "But enough about him, we have a LOT to do before its time to report to the warehouse."

"Show me."


	4. So Into You

So Into You

As it was no one's business but their own, and Arthur hated to be gossiped about, the two opted to continue to hide the change in their relationship. Thankfully everyone was too caught up in the complexities of the job and failed to notice the little tells, the first day Eames was backing going pretty smoothly. Eames demonstrated his forging of Browning for Saito, who gave it his seal of approval which was a relief to everyone, particularly Eames. The rest of the day was spent going through the plans and fine tuning things even more, everyone calling it quits early since Eames claimed jetlag, though the real reason for his exhaustion was the fact that he'd spent the morning having sex with Arthur instead of catching up on his sleep.

Once they got back to their hotel Arthur waited until the take out he'd ordered arrived and then taking the food with him headed for Eames's door, using the key card the forger had gotten for him since the man had one to his room.

Eames was waiting with the wine and dessert he'd picked up on the way back, and together they dished out the food before taking a seat in the small dining area.

Sampling the wine Arthur smiled in approval. "Excellent choice."

"Thank you." Toasting Arthur Eames grinned, the two talking about this and that before the forger turned the conversation to something he'd been wondering before the sex had started the night before. "So I've been wondering…just how much do you know about my family, exactly?"

"Have you swept these rooms for bugs since you got in?" Arthur countered, both men having no illusions where Saito was concerned.

"Yup."

"Then I know everything relevant about your family. I don't work with people I don't know inside and out. Or I didn't." This time around he hadn't had a hell of a lot of say in the matter thanks for Dom. And knowing Eames wanted to know the full extent of his knowledge Arthur admitted to knowing the nature of the experiments the man's father and uncle had signed up for, and how the Eames men had been more successful than most in terms of the wolf DNA having a noticeable effect. That he knew about the cancelation of the experiments in Britain and the fact that the DNA from the original volunteers had been stolen and used in the first round of new experiments in America. Eames's father's DNA hadn't resulted in pregnancy but Eames's uncle had, which was how Bane came to be. Bane had come to live with his biological father at the age of thirteen after the American experiments were stopped and his paternity was confirmed.

"Not stopped soon enough." Eames hatred of the people who'd fucked with his family was clear in his voice. His cousin's suffering hadn't ended when he'd been brought home after all. Of the seven different facilities that had been set up throughout the United States to conduct the experiments, only thirty or so children had been classified as super soldiers. The rest had shown skill and abilities that weren't entirely human, but many of them suffered physical defects or were dependant on medications which had left them too flawed to be considered anything other than just soldiers for the cause. Bane had been one of the best, but the scientists at his facility had tried to make him better and had nearly killed him in the process. His cousin now had to wear a mask most of the time which provided him with medication that kept him fully functioning and without the agonizing pain he would otherwise experience.

Every time he saw the mask his cousin had been condemned to don for the rest of his life he wanted to hunt down all the scientists still alive in their prisons and kill them with his bare hands.

And thinking about the monstrous mask had Eames posing another question, which was why it didn't bother Arthur to know what he was. Yes he didn't turn into a wolf or something equally weird, but he wasn't exactly human either.

"Humans are animals too. That children were used that way is living proof of that. I don't consider you any more an animal than I am."

Watching Eames's pleased reaction Arthur felt a little guilty for misleading the forger, but pushed those thoughts aside. Technically speaking he was even more 'animal' than Eames was, and if whatever this thing between them somehow got serious he'd trust the other man with the truth, but for now he'd keep it to himself. It wasn't about him, but the rest of his own 'pack'. It wouldn't do for certain people to know that the 'experiments' from the Gotham compound weren't dead.

"I think Bane would like you, he's really into books and art and stuff like that."

Since he and Blake were identical Arthur was more inclined to think Bane would try to kill him on sight, but Eames didn't need to know that. Not yet anyway. "Perhaps you'll introduce us someday." He did want to meet the man actually, Blake had never gotten so hung up on a guy before and he was cat enough to be curious. The official data only told him so much.

Imagining Arthur surrounded by his large family, both by blood and by pack, Eames's lips twitched in amusement. Both groups tended to be very loud and affectionate, very interested in everything there was to know about you. But he knew Arthur well enough to know that there wasn't a situation the man couldn't handle if it suited him. "So you never did tell me about your family aside from your brother. Turnabout is fair play."

Arthur opted to be truthful, or as truthful as he could be. "I doubt the woman who birthed me knew who my sperm donor was. She didn't stick around. My brother and I have people we grew up with who are honorary family, but he and I are all the other has blood wise."

Eames couldn't imagine that, his family so huge that if something had happened to his parents there would have been multiple adults who would have stepped in to take custody of him and his sisters. They would have been well loved, and they certainly knew their history and who they'd come from. From the sounds of it Arthur either didn't know, or knew but had chosen to forget because only his brother and the kids he must have known in foster care or an orphanage mattered.

Thinking of the very old scars he'd discovered all over Arthur's body while they were having sex, Eames's fingers tightened around the plate he held in one hand. "Were you and your brother able to stay together when you were in the system?" Or had Arthur faced those horrors alone, finding his brother later on.

The smile that crossed Arthur's face was not a nice one. "We made sure they never kept us separated for long. They learned quickly to keep us together if they wanted us to play nice."

"I hope you made their lives hell."

"They don't remember us fondly." Arthur agreed. And not wanting to talk about it anymore the point man shifted the conversation to asking what it was like to grow up in such a large family, both truly interested and eager not to discuss the past.

If they stayed together there would be plenty of time for that later.

)

It was a week later that Eames got a surprising phone call, his shock so great that his jaw actually dropped when he read the number on his screen. Excusing himself automatically Eames moved away as he put the phone to his ear, his words running together as he asked what was wrong, who was hurt, and was him mom and dad, his sisters all okay?

On the other end Bane's voice came through, inquiring as to why Eames thought something was wrong.

"Because you're calling me. You never call me."

Silence, and then Bane acknowledged that yes, this was the first time he'd ever called his cousin. Usually Eames always called him. "Nothing is wrong."

"Okay. So what's up then?"

"If you are busy I can call at another time."

"No, no it's okay. I've got time." Now that he knew that his family was okay Eames's mind turned to all the other reasons why Bane might be calling him, especially since the last phone call he'd had with his cousin hadn't ended so well. Not that Bane had been angry but- "Is this about what we talked about before? Do you need me to get our mums off your back? Because if that's it I tried, Cous, I really did, but they're like pit bulls with a bloody bone."

"I am aware of that. They are unnecessarily concerned with my lack of romantic attachments. They complain about the opposite with you."

Rolling his eyes Eames told Bane that women were never happy. He wasn't the man killer he'd been when he'd been in his twenties and didn't regret that. He thought but didn't say that Arthur wouldn't give him the time of day if he were still that cocky wanker.

"I wish to ask you a question."

Despite the fact that he was older, Eames was pretty sure that he could count the number of serious questions Bane had ever asked him on both hands and that was probably pushing it. His cousin was far better educated than him and Bane didn't like to reveal a lack of knowledge on any subject unless he had to. Though they'd tried to get it through the man's thick skull that they were family and pack, in the end Bane only trusted the pack he'd formed with the wolves he'd grown up with completely. God but he hoped he knew the answer to whatever question Bane had as he asked the man what said query was.

"Do we look alike?"

"Of course we do, we're family." Instinct overcoming surprise at the question, Eames elaborated. "Bane, if you didn't have to wear that mask all the time people would probably mistake us for brothers constantly. It's only your size and lack of hair that would throw people off. Otherwise we look like Eames men. Why?"

Bane was quiet long enough that Eames thought maybe he didn't intend to answer. "Someone said we looked alike. I disagreed."

Reading into Bane's voice was always difficult, the mask muffling and mechanizing it too much, but instinct had him asking who had made the comparison.

More poignant, interesting silence greeted that question.

"He said he knew of you." Bane finally said. "He's a feline spider hybrid. I don't know what compound, he wouldn't say."

That was typical of the hybrids, Eames knew, though he interacted with them even less than his cousin. While Bane's compound had been wolves only, the other six had mixed the DNA of other animals with their subjects, three of them with more than one. The death counts had been highest in those facilities, and those that lived didn't talk about their time in captivity or the ones who'd escaped, ever. "I don't know anyone with that genetic makeup, or at least I think I don't. What's the last name?"

"He wouldn't say that either."

Amused, especially since Bane would have tried to find that information out already and failed, Eames asked for a physical description.

"Five foot ten, approximately a hundred and sixty pounds. Brown and brown. Runner build, scarring typical of our kind. Identifying marks, slightly larger than normal ears, dimples in both cheeks, and a tendency to cover his arms and upper torso with henna tattoos featuring spider webs as a theme. His first name is Blake."

Okay…he and his cousin had disturbingly similar taste in men. Not that Arthur had probably ever had a henna tattoo but the rest-if it weren't for the fact that Arthur was definitely not a feline spider he'd be worried that he and Bane might have been marking the same tree so to speak. He didn't even know Arthur's real last name for God sakes either.

Sensing something was up Bane asked if the description had jolted his memory.

"No-just thinking-did you sleep with this guy? And I have a reason for asking, promise." The reason being that he was curious as to whether Bane was interested in men sexually or not, Eames silently added.

"Yes."

Okay…well that ruled out Arthur's brother, at least, the similarity in description enough that the possibility had entered his mind. Arthur had said that his older brother was a top as opposed to a bottom, and there was no way in hell Bane could be topped by anyone. Bane would probably laugh himself to death at the idea, and he'd never heard his cousin laugh once in all the years they'd known each other. He didn't think anyone ever had.

And yet…and yet hadn't Arthur said that his brother had had sex with a wolf?

Didn't Arthur purr in his sleep? No family besides his brother…avoided all talking about his life before he'd become a dream worker. The products Arthur always wore that messed with his scent and his acceptance of the fact that he wasn't completely human-

"Oh fuck I'm an idiot. Arthur…he's a fucking cat." He even acted like a damn cat, Eames mentally ranted as he slid down the wall, his back braced against it as he sat down somewhat hard. No wonder Arthur had known all that stuff about him even though so much of it was so classified only a handful of people knew about it. "Oh when I get him alone I'm going to tan his pretty little ass red. And damn if I'll kiss it better afterwards. That little shit."

"You slept with him?"

Actual shivers going down his spine as the wolf inside him sensed a serious threat to his health, Eames had to think beyond his own anger for a moment to process why he got the distinct impression he'd be in some serious physical pain if his cousin was with him physically. Then it occurred to him that Arthur could as easily be a last name as Blake. "His younger brother, not him."

"His brother is also a homosexual?"

"Yup. We work together sometimes. He wears a lot of crap that messes with his scent-it irritated my nose so much I didn't think about our instinctual reaction to cats." People always said he and Arthur fought like cats and dogs-how unexpectedly right they were.

"You never learned to use your sense of smell properly."

Ignoring that jab, who wanted to have super smelling powers anyway, Eames let Bane lecture him on how his decision not to harness his nose's potential increased his chances of being harmed or killed, sensing that they both needed some time to not only process the fact that they'd apparently slept with brothers but- "Wait a minute, Arthur said his brother was a top! He'd be like half of you at most! What the hell?!"

"That is none of your concern."

"I'd be trying to visualize it, but that's too much like imagining you with Arthur." Eames muttered to himself, Bane's sensitive hearing picking it up regardless, his cousin wanting to know what Arthur's last name was. "I don't know either, he goes by his first name. But I am damn well going to ask him because here he comes now."

Watching Arthur come towards him, a questioning look on his face, Eames asked Bane to hold for a minute as he got to his feet. That done he gave Arthur a look that pinned the point man in place. "First question, what is your last name?"

Eyes narrowing Arthur asked why he wanted to know, not liking the fact that the man didn't answer but simply kept looking at him in a way that had the hybrid animal inside of him itching to strike. Thankfully his human side had had a lot of practice bitch-slapping his more primitive instincts into submission. And while he considered refusing to answer, just on principle, he didn't like the idea of messing up his relationship with the forger just yet. Plus Dom knew it, so it wasn't like Eames couldn't find out if he pushed. Dom needed the other man too much not to give in.

"It's Blake."

Lifting the phone back to his ear Eames spoke softly. "You get that?"

"Yes."

Turning his attention back to Arthur, who wanted to know who he was talking to, Eames gave him a dark, condemning look. "My cousin, Kitty Cat. Want to say hi?"

Every muscle under Arthur's expensive suit tensed, Eames sensing the predator now that lurched within his lover. And then the younger man was walking over towards him, holding out his hand for the phone. Giving it over Eames watched him take it and put it to his ear.

"Harm my brother in any way and I will rip your spine out while you're still breathing. Try to use me against him and he'll be the one coming after you. He's more vicious than I am."

Message given Arthur disconnected the call and tossed the phone back to Eames.

"Keep looking at me like that and I'll break your nose. How many of your normal lovers did you tell? Would you have told me if I didn't make it clear I knew?" Arthur waited a moment for his words to sink and then he added his final words on the matter.

"And, Eames, if you telling your cousin about me comes back to harm myself or a member of my family, Bane won't be the only one bleeding. Now come back, Saito called. Fischer is dead and I don't know about you…but I want to finish this job as quickly as possible."

Gaze making it clear they were over Arthur turned on his heels and headed back inside without a backward glance.


	5. Tell Me Why

Tell Me Why

Responding to the knock at his door Arthur nose wrinkled when it identified his visitor as one very stupid, possibly suicidal dog. That he was close enough to scent the forger most likely meant that the man knew he was there as well though, meaning that if he refused to open the door he would come off as being too cowardly or childish to face the idiot. And in less than twenty four hours he would be intrusting his life to the assehole in question on a nearly suicidal mission, Arthur thought darkly as he forced himself to unlock the door.

"Mr. Eames."

"Can I come in?"

Stepping off to the side Arthur motioned for the other man to enter, waiting until Eames had done so before closing the door firmly behind them and locking it once more. "I found three bugs when I got back. Saito's smart enough to realize I'm the most likely to bolt."

"You won't. That's not your style."

Acknowledging that to be true with a faint nod Arthur didn't bother to beat around the bush, asking Eames straight out why he'd come.

"I messed up. So did you but I'm going to be the better bloke and admit it first. I'll even say that I was the bigger arse and mean it. I shouldn't have given your last name to Bane, especially without finding out why he wanted it in the first place. I honestly thought he just wanted to find your brother because he was interested in him. I called him back after the meeting and he explained how you probably thought he was after your brother because the two got into a fight the last time they met. He asked that I tell you to tell your brother that he doesn't intend to harm him should they meet again unless he attacks Talia."

"Given their last meeting I'll take that with a grain of salt."

"Yeah, what the hell did happen between them anyway? I know they were hitting the sheets, I got that much out of the secretive bastard, but that's all I got."

Arthur couldn't help it, he was his brother's twin after all. A gleam came into his eyes as he asked if Eames really wanted to know.

Getting a real bad feeling, not that thinking about his cousin fucking Arthur's brother, who looked identical to Arthur in his mind, didn't make him somewhat nauseous already, Eames decided to shake his head, seeing that he'd made the right decision by the hint of disappointment he could see in the other man's eyes. "Okay, scratch that. So as I was saying-it pissed me off that you-we're friends, Arthur. Even before the rest we were friendly enough that I'd trust you with my back. We've known each other for years and never once did you tell me or even hint. And all that, on top of feeling like a fool for not figuring it out before…I acted badly."

Unfortunately enough time had passed since Eames had acted monumentally stupid for Arthur to come to similar conclusions. Not that he wasn't still pissed, and if anything happened to his other half because of Eames he would still kill the forger with his bared fangs, but unless that happened…he was willing to admit his actions could be seen in a bad light.

"I don't speak of what I am unless I have to, and you're a wolf. Your pack alpha is your godfather, and he is by all appearances honorable and trustworthy. The Great Bitch heads the other wolf pack and she is not. The ties between the two packs through blood and family loyalty are why hybrids don't speak about what was unless we have to to your kind. I trust you with my life, Eames, without question…but not the lives of those connected to me. I will not have their deaths on my conscience."

Putting two and two together Eames asked if it made any difference to him that he didn't like Talia either.

"No one with a working brain would like her."

"Bane does and he's probably as smart as you."

"According to my brother your cousin metaphorically let her cut off his balls so that she could wear them as earrings. That says incredibly dumb to me."

Okay, that was a really disturbing imagine. And made him really want to meet Arthur's brother. "He isn't that bad. He just…sees her as his alpha. If you weren't a cat you'd get that." Aside from lions he didn't think cat species ever moved in packs or prides.

"Cat or not, I know that the alpha is supposed to be the strongest member both physically and protectively. SHE is neither. Your cousin would be alpha if she'd just give him back his balls."

"Would you leave his balls out of it? It's disturbing to discuss them." Especially since he'd happened to see his cousin naked a couple of times and it had given him a bit of a complex even knowing the man's 'enhanced' body was a result of chemicals instead of God given.

The gleam came back into Arthur's eyes, he couldn't help it. "Jealous, Mr. Eames?"

"Why would I be? I got the better of the two Blake brothers."

Feeling his ears redden, dammit, Arthur tried not to look pleased. His brother was much more of a people person than him so people in general liked him better. Very few people had the sense to realize that while he controlled his beast completely Blake's was much closer to the surface and far more dangerous if provoked.

"That reminds me…so your brother goes by his last name or he just didn't want to tell Bane his first?" He'd promised Bane to at least ask and hadn't seen any harm in the request.

"He likes his first name about as much as you like yours."

"How bad is his?"

"I like it…but I like yours too."

"You would."

Rather than respond Arthur went quiet, weighing what he said and how he would say it this time as he addressed the real reason Eames had come. "My reasons for not revealing myself were honorable and right. Your reason for lashing out and giving Bane the information that you did was understandable. I will trust you with my life in the dreams…you can trust me with yours. I give you my word on that."

Understanding that he was being dismissed, but that they understood each other better at the moment, Eames sighed and accepted that that was the best he could hope for at the moment. "Can I ask you one question before I go?"

"Yes?"

"So…you're part jaguar, part spider?"

"No."

"Oh. Then you are…?"

"The first but not the second. The other animal genetics…that's for me to know and you to hopefully never find out."

Shaking his head, Arthur knew how bad his curiosity was, Eames opted not to argue and instead headed for the door without a word of complaint. But once he got there he turned and gave Arthur a questioning, seeking look. "When we work together again in the future, any chance of a second chance?"

"Ask me then."

"It's a deal."

Having followed Eames to the door, he'd need to lock it behind the man after all, Arthur couldn't seem to help himself from meeting the man's gaze, what he saw in those beautiful eyes making him forget all about the fact that he really should see the forger out before they did something really stupid like end up naked on the floor again.

Obviously thinking along the same lines Eames moved in and very slowly, wary of crossing a line, angled his head to the side to press a brief kiss against Arthur's lips, forcing himself not to linger. "Be careful tomorrow, all right?"

"I'm always careful." Arthur reminded him, taking a step back just in case. "I'm the stick in the mud who can't think outside the box, remember?"

"That's why I worry."

Lips quirking ever so slightly Arthur poked Eames in the chest. "As I'm going to be the one holding the second dream together, pissing me off would not be in your best interest, Mr. Eames."

"You'd miss me too much if I ended up stuck in limbo."

"Perhaps."

Eames winked. "Perhaps nothing, Darling. See you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow." Arthur agreed softly, watching him go.

)

Two Months Later

Enjoying the scents and sounds of home Eames lay on the grass with no plans to move anytime soon. It was a beautiful, perfect day for being lazy, and in another week he'd be conscripted into helping one of his cousins work on the house he was building in preparation for getting married in the fall. Being an Eames man Anthony just had to make it himself instead of hiring someone to do it, their family having a long history of carpentry and construction work. And hell, if he hadn't inherited his granddad's place, which he'd always loved, he probably would have gotten around to making a home of his own by now.

Arthur would like his granddad's house too.

It had stopped annoying him by now, how often his thoughts turned to his former lover. Arthur wasn't someone you could forget, and the way things had been left between them was like an itch he just couldn't seem to scratch. Logically he knew that he should just be glad that they'd parted on decent terms, but that wasn't good enough. Over and over again his mind went back to Inception, to how Arthur had been cool enough to him in the beginning, but when he'd shown concern in the second dream, before the point man had put him under, Arthur's response had been-easy, almost jokingly. Like he'd known this could be the end and he wanted him to know that there really were no hard feelings.

At the airport afterwards everyone had been around them, Arthur's goodbye to him nothing special. He'd had no contact with the man since.

When the sound reached his ears, a shiver automatically ran down his spine, the sound of Arthur's purring doing it for him in the most primitive of ways. But a heartbeat later he knew that it wasn't his favorite kitty making the noise, but the recording he'd made of the man purring while he was sleeping. He'd made it his ringtone for Arthur.

Retrieving the phone from his pocket Eames put it to his ear, hoping he didn't sound too eager as he said Arthur's name.

"Hello, Eames."

"To what do I owe the pleasure?"

A pause. "I just finished speaking with your mother. I need you to verify with her and your godfather that I and a companion can be trusted to enter your family compound."

"What? My mum? You want to come here with someone? Your brother? Why?"

"No, not Blake, but another hybrid. And I'm asking for permission to enter because I need to consult with your mother on a medical problem."

Aside from the scientists that had created them in the first place, no one knew more about the treatment and care of those who'd been experimented on than his mum. She ran the 'hospital' they had in their town and oversaw all those with medical problems severe enough that they couldn't survive without regular treatment.

"Your friend is ill?"

"No. I am."

The chill that went down his spine was of an entirely different sort, his teen years filled with memories of the hybrids that had been brought to his mum and her people for help. So much pain and suffering, many living in a constant state of agony that had led many of them to suicide as soon as they had the chance to do so. Hybrids didn't get sick the way that normal human beings did. When they needed medical attention it was serious.

"What's wrong, Darling? Do you need me to come get you?"

"If I'm correct about the problem I'll live. I've sent your mother all relevant data, and she's agreed to see me in four days with or without the permission. I'd rather it be with permission as surgery will most likely be required."

"What…what do you think is wrong?"

"I'd rather not say until your mother confirms. Will you speak with her and your alpha?"

"Yes, yes of bloody course I will. I'll be at the hospital when you come."

"That's not necessary."

Eames cursed the man out for thinking he wouldn't be there for him, not considering for a moment that this might not be the best way to react as his fears that something was seriously wrong with the man overrode his common sense. It was one thing for them not to be speaking, and an entirely other thing to consider the possibility of Arthur not being around to eventually start speaking to him again and giving him another chance.

How long he spent telling the man off Eames wasn't sure, it eventually occurring to him what he was doing and that even stranger was the fact that Arthur was letting him get away with it.

"Arthur…are you still there?"

"Yes."

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-."

"My brother would say worse if he knew about this. Will say worse. I don't want to worry him before its necessary-the same goes for you."

Running a hand that shook slightly through his hair Eames pulled himself together as much as he could and assured Arthur that as soon as the call ended he'd get ahold of the others and make sure that the two men were allowed to come onto the property.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Awkward silence followed and then Arthur said that he needed to end the call, something in his voice tipping Eames off to the fact that it was for health reasons the man had to get off the phone.

"I'll see you soon then."

"You will."

)

Waiting with his parents and his godfather for Arthur's arrival four days later Eames forced himself not to question his mum again about what she'd found out concerning his point man's health. She'd refused on the grounds of patient confidentiality, even when his godfather had gone alpha on her. All she'd been willing to say was that her findings were the same as Arthur's and that if they were right he would require her help but shouldn't need to stick around more than a couple days at most. That's what she said anyway, but there was something in her eyes, her voice that made all three men suspect that there was actually something very wrong with the hybrid and that whatever she was going to have to do to help him wasn't good.

And as always Arthur was ridiculously prompt, the extremely expensive looking black car coming over the hill ten minutes before the agreed upon time.

The man driving the car wasn't someone Eames had ever seen before, but decided to hate on sight. The unknown hybrid looked as expensive and fancy as the car, the sunglasses and clothes he wore as fashionable and perfectly tailored as anything one would find in Arthur's closet. Clean shaven, perfectly styled hair, and worst of all-someone Arthur was close enough to turn to when he needed help.

Engine growling like the felines it transported, the car smoothly pulled up in front of them and then was turned off, the driver getting out first.

Briefly Eames looked him over, confirmed that he didn't like this wanker one little bit, and then turned his attention to Arthur.

He was wearing shades that hide his eyes from view, the paleness of his skin and the stiffness of his gait suggesting something was indeed wrong with him. It was the large coat that tipped him off that something was very wrong though, the garment ugly and way too big for the man's slender frame.

Starting down the steps Eames watched Arthur's companion move smoothly between them, blocking the point man from his sight with his bulkier frame. Arthur's hand came into view, words murmured too low for him to catch but which made the other man move away, instead taking Arthur's arm as they walked up to meet the others together.

"Hello, Eames."

Not knowing what else to say Eames returned the greeting and then introduced the others. "This is my godfather, Captain James Kingsley, my father Lieutenant Will Eames, and my mum, Dr. Emily Eames. Everyone this is my friend Arthur and his friend…?"

"Bruce."

Everyone shaking hands now that the introductions had been made, Arthur was, as always, straight to the point now that the pleasantries had been observed.

"Were your findings conclusive with my hypothesis, Dr. Eames?"

"Yes, I'm afraid they were. I have everything set up inside, to confirm."

"Shit."

Everyone looked at Bruce in response to his reaction, Arthur saying nothing, revealing nothing on his face.

Ignoring them Bruce looked down at Arthur, his voice low but loud enough for the wolves to hear. "One of us needs to call him. You shouldn't do anything until he can be here with you. You know how he'll react when he finds out and he won't thank you for keeping him in the dark."

"I know, but let's see the results of the scans first…to see what sort of action is required."

"If he kills me I'm coming back to haunt you."

"That's only fair." Arthur agreed before turning his attention back to the others. "Would I be correct in assuming that you gentlemen aren't comfortable leaving the two of us alone with Dr. Eames?"

"We're coming as well." Eames father confirmed, shooting his eldest son a look when he opened his mouth to object yet again. His son had no concept of what the American test subjects had been subjected and trained to do. A wounded animal was dangerous enough, but one who'd known only abuse and pain during its formative years was even more so. His son might think he was more than capable of protecting his mum on his own should the unthinkable happen, but he was not betting his wife or son's life on that.

"Lead the way then."


	6. May The Odds

May The Odds

The hospital was closed on Sundays unless there was an emergency case that needed to be seen to. In the beginning the building had housed many of the children who'd been too damaged both physically and mentally to be placed with a foster family, only the children that had resulted from the original British experiments had a clear cut parent to claim them. It had been an uphill battle at times but they'd reached the point where not a single hybrid had to live in the hospital anymore, though many still had to pay regular visits and be closely monitored just in case. Not being abused, experimented on, and forced into military training had done wonders for their health.

All but Eames's mother could smell the lingering traces of the patients who regularly came through the doors as they just had, Bruce and Arthur's cats not terribly fond of the smell of other apex predators but batting down their natural impulses easily enough. There was no immediate threat at the moment, the only thing to worry about being Arthur's health.

Obviously thinking along the same lines Kingsley ended the silence. "Mr. Blake, Dr. Eames has refused to state the nature of your illness due to patient confidentiality. If you would explain or give her permission to do so?"

Arthur was silent for several heartbeats and then spoke, his voice completely lifeless and clinical. "The scientist in charge of my group hated women. He thought their only real purpose was procreation and that if the necessity of their participation in that could be ended the world would be a utopia."

"I hate him even more already." Eames's mother muttered under her breath, followed by an apology for interrupting.

"No apology necessary. I assure you I hate him more than you can imagine. Especially now." Arthur responded before continuing from where he'd left off. "When myself and five others were twelve and a half years old the doctor in question announced that we would be undergoing a special procedure to make that dream of his a reality. He informed us that the human DNA used to create us had been chosen not just for their intelligence, abilities etc, but also because there was a consistent history of homosexuality in their family trees. He wished us to be born homosexual because he intended to physical alter our bodies so that we would be capable of being bred. Three procedures were done on us before we escaped and after reviewing the data we believed there was no cause for concern and it was just another one of his doomed to fail experiments. Apparently I was wrong."

"Wait…are you saying…you're pregnant?" Eames gaped at Arthur and then looked at Bruce in shock. "You knocked him up?!"

Bruce was so taken aback by the idea that he blurted out a response before thinking. "I most certainly did not! You did, you stupid dog!"

That statement was followed by a much more subdued 'oops', Bruce's shoulders hunching as he looked over at Arthur guiltily.

The three oldest members of the group began talking all at once, Eames's parents trying to wrap their heads around what Bruce had just said while Kingsley tried to find out more about the doctor and experiments, wanting to know who else could potentially find themselves in Arthur's situation.

Eames, for his part, spoke very, very softly as he asked Arthur over the din if he was going to be a dad.

"No." Moving away from Bruce Arthur shifted to stand in front of Eames, pausing for a moment before lifting his hands to frame the other man's face between his hands. "I'm sorry, but no. Whatever he did to make my present circumstances possible…the odds that he altered my body enough that it could carry the fetuses to the point where a C section could be performed are in the thirties at best. And even if I lucked out there…I'm a dual hybrid, Eames. Only thirty four percent of us were viable, the rest either dying in the womb or suffering extreme physical deformities that necessitated their termination. You aren't completely human either and our combined genetics-the odds that they would be born healthy, without deformities and being capable of integrating into the normal world…not even you would bet on those odds."

"You came for an abortion." Eames's father said, saying what everyone else was now thinking. Eyes flashing the man opened his mouth to tell the other man what he thought of him when Bruce gave a warning hiss.

"Think very, very carefully what you say to him." Bruce warned, having moved closer to put a hand on Arthur's shoulder. "It will kill a part of his soul to do this…he'd keep them if he could. Don't you dare suggest different."

"There's…there's more than one?" Eames's mother asked hesitantly, the situation she found herself in now a million times worse. Grandchildren, was all she could think, she was going to have to kill her own grandchildren.

"I'm a twin, as was our sperm donor. The odds are high, especially given the fact that felines and canines generally have more than one offspring."

Only half hearing them Eames's hands seemed to move of their own according, seeking to physically touch the reality of the idea that was forming in his head. Fingers spreading wide over Arthur's stomach the air completely left Eames's lungs at the feel of the small, but undeniable bump he encountered. "You…already…how?"

"Human gestation might be 9 months, but for wolves its 62-75 days, and jaguars take 93-105 days. In terms of stomach size I look to be around four months along."

Staring down at his hands, knowing what they touched, Eames's eyes hardened and the set of his jaw was one recognizable as a sign that the infamous Eames family stubbornness was about to kick in. There was no way in hell he was going to accept what Arthur or anyone else was saying until he saw it with his own eyes. He would hope until all hope was lost and fight anything and anyone that got in the way of his child or children having the chance to live.

Arthur might not know it was a family trait, but he knew Eames and said the man's name quietly, a hint of pity in it now though it was still controlled.

I know you too, Eames thought as he turned his attention to the man who still wore his sunglasses, hiding his eyes from everyone. And knowing in his heart that Bruce had been right earlier he gathered the smaller man up into his arms and held him close, lifting one hand to stroke Arthur's hair while he ignored everyone else around them as they talked and tried to get their attention.

Arthur allowed it for a minute and then spoke just loud enough for Eames to hear. "I can't keep it together if you give me sympathy."

Knowing that Arthur would rather undergo bamboo torture than lose it in front of complete strangers Eames forced himself to let go but took Arthur's hand, making no comment when Bruce took the other. He wouldn't Arthur any support. "Right, let's go then. We have an ultrasound to look at."

"Eames..."

"You know me, Darling. I like long odds."

)

If he weren't feeling sorry for the man he'd maul him, Arthur thought as he let himself be herded around by Eames. Logically he understood that whereas he'd had a little over two weeks to accept why he was gaining weight and eating weird food after the strange fits of nausea had finally passed. He'd gone through the denial, the rage, and was still working on accepting that which was undeniable. Eames had only just found out, and the man was revolting optimistic when it came to bad odds. His forger was in the denial stage and so long as he didn't let it affect him, give him hope…then he'd get through seeing what was growing in his stomach and then…call his twin and wait for Blake to arrive before the abortion took place.

Neither Eames nor Blake would have ever forgiven him if he'd tried to keep this all from them…but oh how he wished he could have, Arthur bemoaned as he tried to ignore the hands squeezing his. As it was Bruce was only along because he was in wolf territory and needed someone capable of looking out for him should some danger arise. Eames would likely hesitate to harm one of his people, Bruce would not.

Bruce was also family; even though they weren't blood.

Kingsley opened the correct door, holding it open as Eames parents went through first, Bruce and Arthur both stopping at the scent that came from the room. Someone was already in the room, her scent indicating that she was like them. And while some would scoff at them thinking a lone female could hurt them…those scoffers hadn't grown up with the three females who'd survived Gotham's compound with them. They'd learned to fear and respect the wrath a woman was capable of. Particularly Selina.

"Her name's Hikaru, she's a bird type." Eames said softly, understanding. "She works in London as a pediatric nurse. Mum must have asked her to come to help. I know her, Arthur. It's okay."

Bruce and Arthur shared a long look and then the former let go of Arthur so that he and Eames could go through together with him bringing up the rear. They knew all of their kind, had researched them thoroughly. Hikaru Makino was no threat.

The woman in question wasn't actually Japanese, her adoptive parents were and had given her that name. She was small, as most bird types were, and watched them with kind, sympathetic eyes that nonetheless missed very little. Her career choice was in line with her early training as a medic for their kind, when she'd proven only average as a soldier, but she'd been a soldier first.

It was natural that she was wary of them, they were felines to her bird. They were also not known to anyone she would know, the amount of danger they posed therefore also unknown. It would be best if it stayed that way too.

Introductions were made, and then Arthur was told to lie down on the hospital bed.

Shrugging off his coat Arthur handed it to Bruce and then walked over to take a seat on the side of the bed, taking a deep breath before reaching up to remove the sunglasses he'd been wearing up until that point.

Gone were the brown eyes Eames had looked into for years, in their place gold orbs that were identical to the eyes possessed by a real jaguar.

"I want to see them with my real eyes."

Not waiting or wanting to see anyone's reaction Arthur stretched out on the bed, staring up at the ceiling as he forced himself not to bolt. He hadn't lain on a hospital bed since his time in the compound. It just made this all a little bit worse.

Walking over to take Arthur's hand again Eames looked down at the man who was pointedly not looking at him. "So cat eyes…the bump on your back was a tail once?"

"Yes. It was removed along with my second pair of ears when I was still an infant." Arthur pulled up his shirt as he spoke, ignoring the machine that was being turned on and the discussion Eames's mother and Hikaru were having in low voices he could have easily overheard if he wanted.

"You had cat ears?" Eames grinned in spite of himself. "You'd look adorable with cat ears."

Don't make me kill you and use my hormones as an excuse."

Grinning that much more, it was such an Arthur response after all, Eames kept up a string of teasing remarks about how Arthur was essentially a cat even without the physical markings while his mum and Hikaru finished setting up and applied the jelly stuff to Arthur's stomach.

When it was time Eames wasn't surprised to feet his dad's hands settle on his shoulders, supporting him as his mum brought over the transducer. His godfather stood off to the side with Bruce, ready to take the younger man down if it should prove necessary. He was pretty sure the man in question knew it too, but Bruce's attention remained on Arthur as he pointedly ignored the other man.

"Here we go then."

They all watched the screen, waiting for images to come together to give them as clear a picture possible of what was going on in Arthur's stomach. It was difficult at first, but slowly Eames's mother could make out enough that she moved the transducer so that they could see the two infants spooned together.

Staring at them, he knew he and his own twin had done the same in the womb, Arthur wasn't even aware he was squeezing Eames's hand hard enough to break fingers. He knew human biology, knew what to look for and the still logical part of his brain saw the rest, saw the fact that the only obvious mutation was the hint of a tail on one infant. They were not stuck to the wall lining of his stomach, which would have spelled death for them and himself if he'd tried to carry them to term, but in a womb that Crane had created inside him. Everything the babies would need was present except for a way to get out and a C-section…

"Mum?"

Her free hand over her mouth, tears streaming down her face, Eames's mother met her son's gaze and dropped her hand, revealing a wide smile. "For once your love of bad odds paid off, Baby. Congratulations."

)

The room was immediately filled with voice as Eames's father and godfather echoed the congratulations, Eames's mother struggling and failing to get ahold of herself and listen to what Hikaru was saying about the steps they would need to take to insure that nothing was missed and that the infants were removed from Arthur's stomach as soon as possible in order to avoid any unexpected surprises. Bruce's response was a delighted war whoop and his own congrats, Arthur not saying anything for a good two minutes while Eames couldn't stop talking.

Arthur's quietness eventually became noticed, everyone turning their attention to him, worried something was wrong or that the poor man had gone into shock.

Looking at Eames's mother when she placed a maternal hand on his shoulder, asking him if he was all right, Arthur found his voice enough to ask, in a voice drenched in emotion, if she was sure there was a good chance this could work.

"Yes, Arthur, from what we're seeing right now, there's a very good chance."

"Okay."

His movement was so quick that only Bruce wasn't surprised, Arthur lying down one minute and then the next he was sitting up with his knees brought up against his chest and his folded arms hiding his face from view as his body shook with emotion even though no sound registered in even the most sensitive of ears.

Understanding had Eames moving in to just stroke Arthur's hair, not asking to see his face or try to talk to him. Arthur had been expecting a very different outcome and the man had always bottled up his emotions to a very unhealthy degree.

The situation was made that much weirder due to the sudden introduction of the Spiderman theme song which surprised everyone, Arthur jerking under Eames's hand.

"Figures." Reaching into Arthur's jacket pocket Bruce retrieved the cellphone, accepting the call before bringing it to his ear. "He's okay, Blake, quit freaking out."

"Don't you tell me not to fucking freak out!" Came a voice that sounded eerily like Arthur's. "What's wrong with him? Why the fuck are you answering his phone? Put him on NOW!"

Lifting one hand free Arthur continued to hide his face as he wiggled his fingers for the phone.

"Be nice or you'll hate yourself later." Bruce advised the most overprotective brother in the history of the world before handing the phone over to Arthur, Blake sputtering over the line that he didn't need to be told that.

"Hey."

"What's wrong? You've been putting me off for weeks, you know I know when something's wrong with you. And just now…what's going on, Little Brother?"

"The only thing wrong is that Quinn is going to be very upset with me soon."

A pause and then an agreement that yes, Quinn being mad at you was cause for a great deal of alarm, especially if she had sugar in her system. However given how much Quinn loved him Blake was having a hard time understanding the emotional upheaval he'd sensed moments before and could hear in his brother's voice. And what did she have to be mad about anyway?

"She won't like not being my only child."

An even longer pause followed that. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that the doctor's plan to make us capable of bearing children…worked. I'm pregnant, Blake. I'm pregnant and the babies are okay."

Now there was no silence as Blake demanded an explanation with a lot of curse words thrown in, Arthur giving him a rundown in a fairly together voice without swearing. It was no surprise to anyone that Blake threw back all the things to be worried about just like his brother, though he mentioned cases of hybrids being formed with their organs outside their bodies or born without limbs and other necessary parts with plenty of horrific imagery.

And then it suddenly occurred to the man on the phone that if his brother was actually knocked up then….

"HOLY FUCK! ARE YOU TELLING ME THAT THAT STUPID DOG, THE EVEN STUPIDER BANE'S COUSIN, KNOCKED YOU UP?!"

"Obviously he's never met Bane." Eames's mother murmured while Arthur confirmed that yes, Eames was the other father. "Stupid is not the word I'd use."

"Uhm, actually he has…and he and Bane really don't get-holy shit!" A thought had just occurred to him. "Are you and Blake identical twins?"

Since Arthur was trying to calm Blake down on the phone Bruce answered that yes, the two were identical. On the outside, anyway.

"Oh bugger. That's going to make family get-togethers...awkward."


	7. Tentative Plans

Tentative Plans

Since it was in everyone's best interest that the relationship between Blake and Bane not be discussed, especially with women present, Bruce's mind frantically tried to think of something else they could talk about instead. "So you're probably wondering about Quinn, given what he said. She's not actually his daughter, she just calls him Mommy. Quinn always wanted parents, and the twins kind of adopted her when she came to our compound. Blake's Daddy." Bruce gave Eames a sympathetic look. "You see a very short, grown up version of Shirley Temple coming at you…well you're probably safe. It's when you don't see her coming that you're in trouble." A peregrine falcon hybrid, Quinn was the most dangerous sniper in the world. She didn't miss.

"Okay." Imagining a curly haired badass with chubby cheeks and dimples, Eames made a mental note to get on the woman's good side right away.

"Which group are you…four from?" Kingsley wanted to know. They'd never discovered the identity of the person or people who'd arranged to leak the information about the American experiments, and what data they'd been given had been edited in places for unknown reasons. He'd made his business to memorize what information he had been given however and the two felines in front of him weren't ringing any bells.

"We're felines. We don't really do the pack or group thing."

"I meant which compound are you from."

"If you want a character reference you can contact Patrick Edwards." Patrick was the 'alpha' of the Sullivan compound so to speak, and Quinn had married one of his hybrids a couple years ago. While Patrick didn't know the Gotham hybrids well, he had agreed to vouch for Arthur since he not only owed them, but the man was smart enough to fear Quinn's wrath if he didn't.

Okay, the Sullivan group, that made sense, the Eames family and Kingsley thought together. All able bodied members of that group had moved back to the States once they were legal and were second only to the al Ghul pack when it came to being secretive. Obviously more hybrids had escaped from that compound then they'd previously realized.

"So back to what you were saying earlier…Arthur's brother and Bane don't get along?"

"They did…" Bruce started to say, giving Eames's mother his most charming smile as he tried to think of a neutral answer that would satisfy her.

Thankfully everyone's attention automatically shifted back to Arthur when he began to speak a language none of them recognized, Blake speaking the same on the other end. Given that they'd all travelled all over the world for work it was saying something that they all shared oblivious looks as they tried desperately to figure out what was being said.

"What language is that?" Eames had a feeling this was definitely not a conversation he should be left out of but damn if he'd recognized a single word yet.

Rather than answer that question, the language his pack had learned as teenagers was known only to them and certain diehard fans of a certain literary series, Bruce told them what the two were talking about. "They're discussing where Arthur is staying until Blake gets here."

Now the argument was between three people as Eames immediately insisted that Arthur was coming to stay with him for the duration of the pregnancy at the very least. His place was less than fifteen minutes away from the hospital and there was no way in hell Arthur and their babies were going to be out of his sight until the kids were old enough to go away to college. This of course didn't suit Blake in the slightest and the argument turned to the fact that Arthur's twin was not about to risk his family by letting them stay in dumb dog territory.

Rubbing his temples Arthur took a deep breath and then told them both to shut up for a minute, the two men in question shutting up because they knew that tone well. "Blake, I'll be at Eames's place when you get here. Bruce and I would have come last week if not for the fact that we knew the Great Bitch and her bitches would be out of the country this week. You'll get here well before they do even if Kingsley called them in now. Bruce and Eames are more than capable of watching out for me until you get here. Now I feel like crap and I really, REALLY need a nap. Call me when you're in England."

And not waiting for a reply Arthur shut off the phone and then got off the bed, allowing Eames to 'help' him since he was too tired to care about his perceived masculinity. He was pregnant, that alone brought his manhood into question.

Not being an idiot, or a fan of Talia al Ghul's, Kingsley figured she was the Great Bitch Arthur had been referring to. He also hadn't missed how this Blake fellow apparently felt about Bane and came to the conclusion that these twins and the other wolf pack were not on friendly terms. "I'll inform my pack that Eames has feline guests and that you're under my protection unless you give me a reason to rescind that. We'll wait until your brother gets here to hammer out all the details since apparently he's going to be the major problem. How bad does al Ghul want you lot broken and bleeding?"

"She's offering a quarter of a million dollars for my brother's head…and they don't know he's a twin."

Crap was the general consensus after the telling silence.

Kingsley asked why, having noticed by now that this seemed to be a topic the two hybrids really didn't want to discuss.

Opting to be truthful Arthur sighed. "The short version is that she didn't like the fact that my brother was hanging around Bane and ordered Bane to stay away from Blake. Blake got pissed at her and she said some things and…he webbed her and then Bane when he attacked in her defense. From what I gather she isn't advertising what he did, she's just labeled him as dangerous to the pack."

"Webbed?" Eames's father repeated, unable to believe that someone who was built like the man before him could take down his nephew.

"Blake is a jaguar and spider hybrid. He can shoot webbing? That's bloody brilliant. Is that why he's ringtone on your cell is the Spiderman theme?"

Arthur and Bruce nodded in unison to Eames's query.

Intrigued, as well as determined to meet and evaluate the threat Blake might pose to the people under his protection, Kingsley asked what time Blake would be arriving the next day since he wanted to meet him as soon as possible.

"He's in Austria; he'll message me with his ETA once he figures out the quickest way to get here."

Nodding, Kingsley requested that he be informed when Blake arrived and then suggested that they finish up whatever tests needed to be done so that Eames could take Arthur back to his place so that the other man could rest up since he obviously did need that nap.

Snapping to attention at that, she'd been far too focused on imagining the unbelievable cuteness her grandbabies would possess given the good looks of her son and Arthur, Eames's mother immediately took over, the men wisely letting her.

)

Sitting beside Eames in the backseat of Bruce's car a half an hour later, Arthur was so tired he just wanted to curl up and sleep. He felt like he'd been beaten and battered emotionally and physically to his breaking point for weeks now. If he didn't get away from everyone so that he could recover in peace he was totally going to lose it in public. In front of Eames. And freaking out that way couldn't be good for the babies either. Oh God but he was having babies. With Eames. And he was going to be staying at Eames's house because the stubborn ass wouldn't accept otherwise. It was probably going to be a complete bachelor dump, and the last thing he needed was to be surrounded by mess which his stupid, perfectionist tendencies would demand he clean up because he just couldn't stand disorder and his own exhaustion be-

"We're here."

Turning his head to face front Arthur was too tired to show how shocked he was as he took in the upscale looking cabin they were stopping in front of, the home beautifully crafted and seeming to fit in perfectly with the forest around it. It looked to be two stories with possibly an attic, its age apparent in its weathered exterior.

Getting out of the vehicle Arthur was glad for the sunglasses he was wearing again, the dark lens hopefully hiding at least some of his exhaustion and turbulent emotions. But as tired as he was he could see that Eames was waiting for a reaction to the house, obviously hoping for a positive one that would suggest he'd be willing to stay.

"It's beautiful, Eames."

"I know, right? Been in my family for four generations." Eames grinned and then switched back to protective mode, announcing that they should get inside so that Arthur could rest up a bit before he gave him the full tour.

"You two go on in, I'll put the stuff in the cooler away once I find your kitchen and then sit somewhere with my laptop and get some work done."

Cocking his head questioningly Eames asked what was in the cooler, neither striking him as the cooler type.

Arthur's lips curved just a little. "Bananas and peanut butter. Lots of bananas and peanut butter. The twins are fine letting me have what I want for dinner, but for breakfast and lunch they'll only let me eat peanut butter and banana sandwiches on white bread. Everything else they insist I throw up. Violently."

Torn between being amused and delighted over this adorable oddity, and feeling sorry for Arthur for the amount of throwing up he must have done before he figured out what the babies wanted, Eames decided to play it safe and instead offered to help with the unloading after he showed Arthur the guest room.

"Not much to unload since we didn't plan to be here that long." Pulling out a duffle bag Bruce called Arthur's attention to it and then lightly threw it in the other feline's direction. "See you after your nap."

"Thanks."

Far more concerned with Arthur than he was about Bruce Eames neatly nipped the bag out of Arthur's hand and slugged it over his own shoulder, insisting that he would carry it while he motioned towards the porch stairs with his other hand.

Too tired to argue Arthur headed for the house, using what was left of his physical strength to make sure he didn't trip and fall, one arm instinctively wrapping around his waist at the thought of even falling. He hadn't been taking precautions earlier, he'd assumed there was no need since the lives growing within him would have to be ended anyway. Now that he knew he could keep them, that they would grow and be his in the most intimate of ways…he was going to do absolutely everything in his power to make sure nothing went wrong that was within his control. To that end he would let Eames baby him, which he knew would happen since he'd seen the forger around Phillipa and James, not to mention listened to the man go on and on about his nieces and nephews. The man seriously loved children, most probably because they often had the same maturity level.

Smiling a little at that thought Arthur followed Eames into the house and up the stairs to the second floor, not paying much attention to his surroundings least he get distracted. He'd give the place a thorough looking over once he'd gotten some sleep, but until then all he wanted was a comfortable flat surface to stretch out on.

The guest room Eames showed him was small but was clean and had a bed, which at this point was all he cared about. Slipping off the articles of clothing he didn't need to have on Arthur neatly set them aside and then asked for the duffle bag.

Handing it over Eames figured that Arthur wanted to change before going to bed, a sign that he should probably vacate the room. Not that he didn't want to see the other man naked, that was a given, but things were very up in the air between them still and he needed to convince Arthur to stay with him and that meant showing the man that he could give Arthur space as well as attention. Hovering would not go over well.

"I'll…go see that your friend gets settled in, then. Do you need anything else?"

"No. Just wake me up in a couple hours. We'll talk then."

"Alright, sweet dreams."

Nodding his head Arthur turned his back to Eames while he opened the duffle bag, pulling out the thick quilt that he'd brought with him from home when his ears picked up the sound of the other man's retreating footsteps. It was absolutely ridiculous for a man of his age and experience to need a security blanket but…his world was topsy turvy at the moment and he'd known it would calm him, at least a little, to have something familiar with him that spoke of home.

Stretching out on the bed without bothering to get under the covers, Arthur pulled the quilt over his head so that he could smell only home before closing his eyes and willing himself to sleep. Unfortunately his training interfered with that as every ten minutes or so the guestroom door opened and he could feel eyes on him for a while before Eames reluctantly left him alone again. And while the delivery of his suitcase explained the first visit…by the forth he didn't even bother to pretend to be asleep. "Are you going to check on me like this tonight, too?"

"Uhm…"

Shaking his head while a rueful smile curving his lips, Arthur sat up in bed and wrapping the quilt around him like a cape ignored Eames's apologies as he headed towards the door where the other man was hovering nervously. "I'll sleep in your room then. Bring my suitcase, please."

Following his nose Arthur went straight to his former lover's room and was on 'his' side of the bed with his blanket before Eames had caught up to him, Arthur aware of his suitcase being set off to the side before .

"You can have a nap too…but NO talking."

"Yes, Sir."

)

The mattress dipped as Eames laid down on it, shifting close so that they were almost touching. Wisely Eames opted not to comment on the quilt Arthur seemed determined to cart around with him, though it was seriously adorable and cute. For now he would just be grateful that the other man was allowing him to remain close even though it had been pretty obvious earlier that all Arthur wanted was to be left alone.

When Arthur's arm came out from under the blanket Eames watched it curiously, figuring out that it was his own hand the point man was seeking when Arthur's hand aimed for his side. Grabbing the hand Eames gave it a squeeze, thinking that Arthur wanted that bit of comfort.

But no, his hand was gently pulled across Arthur's body to disappear under the quilt, Arthur pressing their linked fingers against his slightly rounded stomach.

"Thank you, Darling."

Spreading his fingers over the bare skin that lay over the two lives they'd created together, Eames had to swallow hard against the rush of emotions that knowledge brought to the forefront. He'd always intended to adopt someday, if he found someone he wanted to marry and raise kids with, but being gay he'd never imagine that those hypothetical children would be his own flesh and blood. That he'd be there as they grew and matured inside their mommy's tummy. He was going to be a father. Someone's Daddy.

"A lot to take in, huh?"

Smiling a little Eames agreed as he started to rub Arthur's tummy in a soothing fashion, remembering his brothers in law doing that for his sisters when the babies got a bit too rowdy in their mummies tummies. Soon their babies would be big enough that Arthur would be able to feel them moving around if he remembered correctly. Then he'd be able to feel them kick and-

The sound of Arthur purring while still awake cut off Eames's previous thoughts in a snap. "Arthur…."

"I can't help it. I'm a cat."

Oh if only he'd known that rubbing the man's tummy would get this reaction before, he would have so taken advantage. "Do you…think the twins will have kitty ears like you too?"

"I hope not. I don't imagine your mother will enjoy having more to amputate."

Okay…there went the adorable pictures of little Arthurs with cat ears and tails.

"Eames…you do know things could still go wrong. You need to prepare for that." Arthur's voice was exhausted, but the point man seemed determined to stay awake just a little bit longer.

"Things can go wrong even with normal pregnancies. I choose to believe our babies are going to be born perfect and healthy and preferably boys because heaven help us if we end up with girls. My sisters used to complain non-stop about us scaring off potential boyfriends, but at least they had mum to help them. If we have girls they'll have to contend with two heavily armed daddies, a seriously badass and overprotective uncle, and all the other men in our combined families. They won't get dates until they're smart enough to get away from us."

Arthur's response was definitive. "I'll always be able to find them."

"I don't know…if they take after you in the brains department…"

"I'll still be able to find them."

Amused, Eames was willing to concede that it was unlikely their children would be able to outwit their mummy, though he insisted he was right about girls being far more troublesome than boys.

"Boys would be best, yes. But, Eames…"

"No buts. We hope for the best and we'll get it too."


	8. Extreme Brother Complex

Extreme Brother Complex

After their nap and a quick dinner, Bruce opted to eat elsewhere so that they could talk in private, Eames gave Arthur a thorough tour of the entire house in an obvious bid to convince him that there was no better place for them to raise their children in. He even rustled up a notebook and pen for Arthur to use so that the other man could make a list of things they'd need to baby proof the place before the twins arrived. He also pointed out the office he never used but which Arthur could if he needed to, as well as a guest room that Blake could occupy until the other man was satisfied that Arthur and the babies couldn't be in better hands.

Not committing to anything, especially since they still had Blake to deal with, Arthur didn't ask many questions and dutifully made notes along the way. It was a beautiful house, perfect for raising a family in, but he was a realist and saw no point in imagining they being able to make this their family home until he got a better sense of the place and more importantly, the neighbors.

"Your attic, how high is the ceiling?"

"About seven feet, why?"

"Blake's part spider." Arthur reminded him with a small smirk. "He likes attics."

Okay, personally he couldn't see how offering Blake the attic was the way to get on the other man's good side, but he supposed Arthur knew better than anyone what his brother would and wouldn't take offense to. "If he wants to stay up there that's fine, though how we're going to get the guest bed up there is another question."

"He won't need one, he'll just spin a web to sleep in."

Now that would be cool to see, not to mention try out. Hopefully Blake liked him enough to let him someday.

Since they were on the topic of his brother Arthur figured that now was as good a time as any to clue Eames in on something he would need to know about Blake. "Look, Eames, I just want you to know-to understand-you know me pretty well, so you know I'm not much for public displays of affection , and treating me like I'm delicate or need looking after is a good way to get me to shoot you. But from here on out you can do both until the pregnancy is over and I won't give you hell, shoot you, or physically attack you in any way. And the reason I'll allow you to treat me that way is because Blake will do much worse than you will." A moment's pause. "My brother has the biggest brother complex I've ever seen. He loves me to the extent that I've lost track of the number of people he and I have beaten the shit out of because they suggested a threesome or made an incest crack. Eames…he and I are polar opposites when it comes to our animal natures. His is very close to the surface, and he will cross any line to keep me safe and happy."

"Would he take you away from here against your will?"

"Not likely, but not out of the realm of possibility." Taking Eames by the hand Arthur gave it a small squeeze. "But if he did I'd insist he took you with us, or I'd find a way to let you know where I was. You have my word on that."

Bringing their joined hands to his lips Eames kissed the back of Arthur's. "And I'll protect the four of you with my life."

Allowing himself to be drawn into Eames's arms Arthur smiled at him. "Now that that's settled you should know that in about two hours I'm going to pass out, so you need to shower."

Intrigued but clueless, Eames asked why.

"Because I need to cover you in my scent so that Blake knows you belong to me again. He'll be less likely to hurt you that way…and I'm pretty sure most people who are happy to learn they're going to be parents are supposed to celebrate by reenacting the process that got them into that situation in the first place."

Normally he would have been all for it, this was Arthur after all and he hadn't been with anyone since the Fischer job, but… "Uhm, you're pregnant, and uh…can't cats get pregnant more than once? My Gran had a cat, and I'm pretty sure she said that the kittens in the litters were different colors because they probably had different fathers."

"One, I'm not in heat, two, it was a miracle I got pregnant in the first place, and finally…if you don't want to go near my ass, well there are plenty of other things we could do. Either way I'm not letting you near Blake without making it clear to him that your body is mine and I won't tolerate anyone else using it as a scratching post."

"Wait…are you worried he'll hit on me since Bane and I look so much alike?" That would be beyond awkward on a number of levels. Arthur AND Bane would take turns maiming him beyond all recognition. Then they'd kill him very, very dead.

Eyes narrowing dangerously, Arthur's gaze made it clear that if he even suggested interest in his twin he was going to be the one tearing Eames to shreds with his bare hands.

"No need to look at me like that, Darling. If your brother loves you as much as you say he does then there's no way he'd hit on me, and being crazy about you I have no interest in hitting on him. And even if I did Bane would bloody well kill me since regardless of what he says I'm convinced he fancies your brother quite a bit, which is just one more reason I would never try for your brother since it's just bad manners to hit on the ex of a family member or friend." And knowing when to change the subject Eames suggested that they head back to their bedroom so that they could shower together and discuss all the ways Arthur could go about 'marking' his territory.

Amused, Arthur smirked as he motioned for Eames to lead the way.

They didn't speak until they were almost at their destination, Eames unable to remain quiet anymore since he had an important question to ask Arthur before they got naked together.

"This showering and shagging thing…is it because you really think your brother is going to try and kick my arse otherwise, or is this you telling me that you are going to give me a second chance with you?"

"Eames, if this pregnancy does result in children you and I will have to be together in some form or another for at least eighteen years. We are not going to scar our twins by passing them back and forth between us like a football, and I think it's important that we get along so that they know they've got both of us and that we're capable of working together as a team. That being the case…yes, I am willing to give you a second chance."

"You want to sleep with me because it will make our kids happy?"

Arthur rolled his eyes. "No. I'm willing to try and have a real relationship with you because we're having children together. I want you to take me up against your shower wall and whatever other surfaces spark your fancy in the next couple hours because I haven't had sex since you and I ended things and now that I know I'm not going to have to abort our children or deal with some horrible medical complication I could really go for some quality sex and that's one thing you and I both do really well together. I don't have to 'shag' you to transfer my scent, Einstein. I could just cuddle against you."

"You haven't been with anyone either?"

About to comment that Eames was focusing on the wrong part Arthur realized what the other man had just insinuated. And okay, it probably wasn't personal, Eames probably just hadn't run across anyone he was sexually interested in in the two months since they'd been apart, but still…

"I was a little busy throwing up and feeling like crap…but yeah, I missed you too."

Wrapping his arm around Arthur's waist Eames grinned at him like an idiot and didn't care. "I missed you more."

"Care to show me how much?"

"It would be my pleasure, Darling."

)

It took a great deal of effort on Eames's part to get up the next morning, his body making it quite clear that it would much, much rather stay in bed for the foreseeable future, preferably with Arthur beside him. Unfortunately Blake would be arriving within the hour if everything went according to schedule, he reminded himself, and he would not be getting off on the right foot with his lover's brother if he arrived to find them still in bed or shagging.

Not that Blake could possibly miss the fact that his little brother had marked his territory quite thoroughly during the night and into the morning. They both smelled of each other and sex, to the point where they were both tempted to hit the showers and hope for best where Blake was concerned.

It was all Arthur's body fault too, Eames thought as he got dressed in the clothes Arthur had picked out for him. He got half hard just thinking about how sensitive and responsive the pregnancy had made the other man's body, especially below the belt.

And you didn't even want to get him started on Arthur's former tail.

"Don't even think about it."

Giving Arthur his most innocent look Eames asked him oh so politely what he was referring to.

"You know what I'm talking about." His nipples were still painfully red and swollen, he had stubble burn everywhere, and the huskiness of his voice made it obvious that he'd strained the hell out of it with all the noise he'd made because his stupid body had turned him into a nymphomaniac. Thank God Eames's protective instincts towards the babies were so strong that the man had ignored his begging for constant ass action, or he probably wouldn't have been able to sit down any time soon.

Loving the redness of the man's ears Eames couldn't resist giving Arthur a quick nuzzle before suggesting that they head down to the kitchen for breakfast before they did what he'd been thinking about.

A quick shudder was Arthur's response to that, the point man following Eames out of the room like a kitten trailing his master.

Once they arrived in the kitchen they discovered Bruce already there, eating a bowl of cereal. The man looked up from the paper he was reading to wish them good morning, studying them for a long moment and then shook his head. "Well that's one way to keep Blake from attacking him on sight." And since he didn't want to think too hard about what he'd accidentally overheard the night before, as well as what his nose was telling him, Bruce figured that was enough said and turned his attention back to what he'd been doing.

All of them reluctantly amused and embarrassed as hell, they opted to say no more on the matter as Eames and Arthur put together their own breakfast and joined Bruce at the table.

"So are you sticking around once Blake gets here, Bruce?" Eames asked after a while, figuring that enough time had passed.

"Not unless I need to. I'm more of a city person, hybrid or not."

"Do you think he'll insist you stay?" Arthur asked, knowing that if Blake asked that favor of Bruce the man would give in. Bruce had always been amusingly susceptible to Blake's dimples and big eyes.

His twin made the movie Puss in Boots look like an amateur.

"I don't think so. If he thinks about it rationally he'll realize you're safe simply because the Great Bitch can't afford to piss off and isolate her pack from all the others, which she would definitely do if she attacked, much less killed the grandchildren of the doctor who saved their lives when they came here and continues to look after them. As long as you're pregnant you should be off limits, and any attack on Blake would be seen as an implied threat towards you. The Bitch is crazy, not completely stupid. Hybrids stick together."

Liking where this was going Eames pointed out that the original wolves and their natural offspring were a part of his 'pack' so to speak, and they'd be on their side too. Or most of them would anyway. And he definitely didn't believe for a minute that Bane would condone the killing of unborn children. Even if Talia ordered him to do that there was just no way.

It went unsaid that they were all pretty sure that Talia was warped enough to give that kind of order without a second thought.

)

A short while later all three of them heard the vehicle pulling up into the driveway, Eames not missing the look Arthur and Bruce shared as they pushed back their seats and got up, following their example since he couldn't wait to get a look at Arthur's twin. Yes the guy might try to kill him for knocking up his little brother-wow that sounded so weird even in his mind, Eames thought with a grin as he followed them out of the room and into the hallway. But yeah, regardless of the injuries he might be about to receive he couldn't wait to meet Arthur's mysterious brother, seducer of Bane and possessor of a brother complex that was apparently beyond Japanese animation level.

The fact that the guy looked just like Arthur made it that much better.

Or not so much like Arthur as he'd expected, Eames saw moments later as Bruce opened the door to reveal the man leaning against the porch railing directly across from the door, his arms crossed and his eyes piercing in their intensity.

It was Arthur's face, but this version of his lover had dyed his hair white blond, slicked it back the way Arthur did, and was wearing a black leather duster and extremely casual, well worn clothes that hugged his body lovingly.

Eames had only a heartbeat to appreciate the fact that Arthur would make a surprisingly good blond before the man in question was across the porch and in his brother's arms, the way Blake clutched Arthur in turn and the look on the other man's face made it clear that Arthur hadn't been exaggerating the bond between the two.

"What the hell did you do to your hair?" Bruce wanted to know as he and Eames stayed back a little, giving the other two some room.

Lifting his head up to meet Bruce's gaze, his face formerly pressed against Arthur's neck, Blake grinned and answered in a perfect British accent. "Well my target decided to make his delivery at a comic book convention, the little pissant thinking I'd lose him in the crowds and costumes no doubt. I figured when in Rome, and I do have the fangs to pull off Spike quite well." The grin was very un-Arthur like, and naughty as hell. "If you want to see pictures there should be plenty online by now, I met a darling 'Angel' cosplayer who was quite happy to be nibbled on in public."

Not bothering to ask if Blake had completely his job, his brother always got his man, Arthur simply reached out and ran his fingers through his brother's hair. "I take it you intend to cut it all off soon?" Blake tended to let it grow until it annoyed him and then chop it all off.

Dropping the accent Blake gave a careless shrug. "Well that was the thought, but this way we can tell the Great Bitch and her neutered runts to shoot for the blond and not the brunette. At least until you get so fat they'll know which is which straight off." Moving a step back Blake moved down on one knee with feline grace. "And speaking of getting fat…."

Lifting up Arthur's shirt Blake studied the bump there, his fingers splaying out protectively over the physical evidence of his brother's condition. He'd hacked into the file Dr. Emily Eames had already started for Arthur and had read all the data, looked at all the images she'd recorded from the ultrasound, and talked things over with Bruce at length while his brother had napped the day before.

But seeing was believing, Blake acknowledged as he placed an ear against his brother's stomach, wanting to see if he could hear anything that way. He thought he did, but that was probably wishful thinking on his part. He didn't know a lot about this sort of thing, though between the two of them he and Arthur would know everything there was to know soon enough. 'Hello, Babies', he thought to them as he leaned in as he nuzzled his cheek against his brother's stomach, 'I'm your Uncle Blake and I'll do everything in my power to make sure this world never sucks for you'.

Straightening up Blake simply stared into his brother's eyes for several heartbeats, no words necessary between them. They knew what the other meant and would do for them.

Messages given and received, Blake turned his attention to the man who was standing beside Bruce.

Bane was definitely better looking, no question, but Blake was willing to admit that the man who currently smelled like his brother looked enough like his cousin to be consider damn yummy. He'd made it his business to know everything there was to know about the men and women that his brother worked with regularly, and he'd refreshed himself where this one was concerned during the night.

Stepping forward Eames held out his hand towards Blake. "Pleasure to meet you, Blake, I'm Eames."

Taking the hand Blake shook it in turn. "Just so we're clear I hate your cousin, I don't like your kind in general, and if anything bad happens to my brother because of you I will come down on you like the plagues of Egypt." Blake grinned, showing his dimples. "But it is nice to meet you too."


	9. Only Skin Deep

Only Skin Deep

It didn't take long for Eames, his parents, or his godfather to figure out that while Blake could be as charming as Eames when he wanted to be, it was only skin deep. Blake was congenial, friendly, and appeared easygoing because he thought that would get him what he wanted as well as lull them into a false sense of security, in the hopes that they'd never see the danger he posed until it was too late. In this case they saw through the hybrid's façade, the animals that dwelled inside them knowing a fellow apex predator when they encountered one. Arthur's animal self was so well controlled and hidden he could pass for normal so long as his scent was covered, but the man's twin couldn't say the same.

Still, it was obvious that all Blake cared about was Arthur's wellbeing, and since that was what was most important to Eames too the forger had no problem being on the other man's side.

It took some time and convincing, a lot in fact, but eventually it was decided that the two sets of twins, both born and unborn, would stay here until the babies were born at the very least. They had the support of the original wolves, and according to Kingsley many of the hybrids that lived within the town had also made their willingness to back the decision and aid the originals if the other wolf pack tried to cause trouble. The Sullivan Group, who Kingsley had contacted, had made it clear that they and their allies would rise against anyone that harmed the twins or the unborn children, and had suggested they would make sure that the other hybrids showed their support too.

The group had a late lunch together to seal the deal so to speak, and then Eames's family left the four alone until later. Three shortly, since Bruce opted to head out once he'd confirmed with Blake that he didn't need him to stick around just in case. The other hybrid intended to stay in Europe for the week should that change, looking up someone named Selina who was apparently hanging out in Florence. Apparently he wasn't expecting a very warm reception from the lady in question, the twins wishing him luck and reminding him to protect the family jewels.

Thanking them for the warning and Eames for his hospitality, Bruce was very polite and to the point as he got into his car to go.

"Protect them with your life or yours will be forfeit."

"Understood." Eames assured him as he watched the door close, Arthur beside him with Blake on the other side. Bracketing him in, protecting him on both sides. And that was definitely how it would stay.

Once Bruce's car was out of sight Blake headed for his own, popping open the truck and retrieving an ornately carved box from it. Ignoring the rest of his meager luggage, he believed in traveling light and would get it all later, Blake closed the trunk lid and returned to stand with the other two who'd been watching him with interest.

"What's in the box?" Eames asked, eyeing it curiously.

"Our argument kit." Arthur explained with a smile, his own, identical box back at his apartment. Blake always carried his with him, naturally. He'd been expecting this. "You'll see once we get inside and set up."

Eager to do precisely that Eames motioned for the twins to head for the house, Blake following his nose to the kitchen while telling Arthur to wait for him in the living room with Eames. He could explain things to the knocker-upper while he got the stuff ready.

Amused by his new title Eames followed Arthur into the correct room and as asked moved the coffee table so that it was further away from the couch, taking a seat beside his lover on the floor with their backs to the couch afterwards. "So…?"

"Bane described him as having henna tattoos on his body, right?" When Eames nodded Arthur continued. "That's what's in the box, his henna kit. We call it our argument box too because whenever we need to discuss something we disagree about we get out one of our two boxes and I draw the spider webs on his skin for him. He has to stay put and hold still you see, and it takes several hours to dry for proper, deep staining you want. We tend to be more productive when he has to stay put, though I had to do both arms and his torso the last time, when he wanted to go check out al Ghul's pack by himself."

"Check it out? Why?"

"Because they've remained so militaristic, and have been approaching hybrids from other packs about joining them for reasons they're being very secretive about in the last year. Of all the compounds they were the best treated and most loyal, the most thoroughly indoctrinated by our captors. They're also headed by a woman with decided psychopathic tendencies, so keeping an eye on them just makes sense. I didn't think actually approaching them to learn more was necessary, Blake disagreed."

"And that's when he and Bane met?"

The look on Arthur's face went rueful. "That was one of the main reasons he wanted to go and I wanted him to stay or send someone else. Your cousin is Blake's version of an all you can eat buffet after a year of fasting. He'd been eyeing him for years before that, but he couldn't justify making contact before."

"Mixing business with pleasure, then." Was all Eames could think to say to that mental imagery.

"Exactly. Which is why things will get ugly when they meet up again. There's no way around it."

"Got it."

Having mixed the proper ingredients together and put it in two different cones, just in case, Blake handed them over and then ditched his shirt, sitting down and setting first his shirt and then his right arm onto the table so that it stretched out across it for Arthur's marking.

Staying where he was Eames thought but didn't say that he'd been right to think that Blake had looked bulkier than Arthur. Now that the other man was shirtless he could see that this twin had made a more concrete effort to build up as much muscle as someone of his build could. Personally he found Arthur's more slender body appealing, but he could appreciate this version too. But he wouldn't, because that was a good way to end up dead and buried under his own porch.

So instead he turned his attention to what his lover was doing, Eames watching as his lover picked up one of the cones and leaning forward began to apply the black, toothpaste like substance to Blake's skin. "It's like you're icing him, sort of." He'd seen it done before, but only really in passing. He preferred the real thing, as his own body could attest to.

"Similar." Arthur agreed as he kept his eyes on what he was doing. He wasn't artistic by nature, that was more Blake's thing, but he'd done this enough times that he didn't have to think or worry about making a mistake.

"The original wolves are old and retired." Blake stated after a moment, diving straight in. "And expecting them and their natural children to stand against their own blood would be stupid and foolish. The majority of the other hybrids have chosen peaceful lives, they haven't kept up with the training. The wolves would slaughter them, especially knowing their weaknesses."

It went unsaid that the wolves wouldn't know, couldn't know unless it was absolutely necessary, that the remaining hybrids of Gotham would wipe out the wolves in retaliation if the Blake brothers were to be killed.

"You think SHE'S too insane to know that starting a hybrid war over you making a fool out of her would be the height of stupidity?" Arthur countered coolly. "However stupid Bane is otherwise he's a brilliant strategist, he would never be that blind to the possibilities and consequences. She listens to him, she has to or she wouldn't be in charge."

"And the babies are of his blood too." Eames added, hoping that he was allowed to argue too.

"If you think he won't kill you on her orders you need a reality check."

Not going to argue that point, especially since he didn't disagree that Bane was capable of killing him if he wanted to or felt it necessary, Eames instead argued that while he agreed with them about Talia being a vicious, untrustworthy psycho, did Blake really think she was stupid, because he didn't. Though not on Bane or Arthur's level, she was wicked smart and cunning from what he'd seen in the past.

"She's smart enough to go the route of assassination and soon Arthur's reflexes won't be what they were."

"And everyone will look to her and her pack to blame, even if it looks like an accident."

"You'd still be dead, and you know what will happen if I lose you."

Yes, yes he knew. He had kept his brother sane in the darkness, his twin devoting himself to the task of making sure he survived. If he died by foul means Blake would descend on his executioners like the Black Plague. And death would not be swift or merciful.

"I'll remain inside as much as possible, and I won't leave here without you or Eames with me." Knowing his brother well Arthur immediately reminded the other man that he wasn't like him, he could stand to remain indoors in small spaces for long periods of time without getting restless. And if the pregnancy continued at its present rate they only had to stay here for a little over two months.

)

What Blake wanted to do was kidnap Eames's mother and take her to an undisclosed area where she'd be expected to take care of Arthur until the babies were born and declared healthy enough not to require medical supervision. Return her to her family afterwards and that would be that. Unfortunately Arthur wouldn't allow him to do so, knowing they'd be depriving their fellow hybrids of the only doctor knowledgeable enough to take care of any problem that might arise. And Arthur would be determined to keep Eames in their lives from now on, and he couldn't see the Englishman or the man's family thinking of them kindly were he to steal a member of their pack. Plus he didn't fancy being hunted by the wolves and other hybrids before and after, even knowing they'd fail.

The fact that the resemblance between his brother's lover and Bane was a great deal more obvious up close just made him feel that much more inclined to be violent and get the hell out of the whole country too, Blake ruefully admitted, though only to himself.

"I'd help you get him out of here if I didn't think this was where he needs to be."

Eyes flickering over to Eames, such a softer and weaker version of Bane, Blake saw no point in stating the obvious when it came to this wolf's motives and abilities. The forger couldn't comprehend what the Great Bitch and her pack were capable of because he hadn't been born and raised in a compound. His twin's lover had no idea what their kind was capable of. Had in fact been created to do.

"They'll come as soon as they get word that we're here. To mark their territory and assert their dominance with intimidation and bloodshed."

"My godfather is Alpha here, they know that."

"She might play lip service to that, but I doubt she believes it." Blake countered with a knowing look in Eames's direction, there being no doubt in his mind that the Great Bitch saw Kingsley as a necessary evil until she could safely remove him and take over.

Lifting the cone up ever so slightly in case Blake jerked, Arthur's tone was conversational as he expressed surprise that Blake thought so little of himself. He would have thought him more confident in his abilities to keep them safe from a bunch of dumb dogs.

"You've been hanging around egotistical morons like Cobb for too long." The look Blake gave Arthur made it clear that he wasn't going to fall into that obvious a trap. "Even the smartest, strongest, and most cunning can be brought low and made fortune's bitch. That's life."

"My mum-"

"Could be made to cooperate even if she initially refused to help those responsible for Arthur's death in retaliation." Blake interjected. "I agree that she's a powerful ally to have, but that only goes so far."

"I'd kill anyone who fuckin dared put their hands on her."

"I'm assuming you'd be dead at that point, actually. Along with your father and Kingsley."

"Oh."

Knowing that Eames would do better with something to do Arthur decided to take advantage of the fact that Blake had filled two cones and asked the forger if he'd like to work on Blake's other arm. He knew that the man often doodled when he needed to clear his head or think something out, and it wasn't like spider webs were all that difficult. If necessary he could fix any mistakes or Blake could just wash it off before it really set.

"Me?" Surprised out of his morbid, stomach turning thoughts, Eames looked back and forth between the twins in question.

"Go ahead, if you think you can." He had worse things to worry about than his brother's boyfriend's tattooing abilities. Though now that he thought about it... "You have tattoos, and so does your father. Why doesn't Bane?" He liked a man with real ink in his skin, not that Bane stood a chance with him now. That ship had not only sailed, it was at the bottom of the fucking ocean as far as he was concerned.

Having gotten to his feet Eames carefully came around the table as he spoke, sensing that Arthur was up to something. "It's never come up, really. I suppose he's not really the type. You don't have lasting ones because they're identifying marks, right?" With Bane that wouldn't matter, Eames silently acknowledged as he sat back down, thanks to the mask his cousin had to wear. Plus there just weren't that many men in the world that looked like Bane anyway.

"That and I had enough needles jabbed into my skin when I was younger." Hence the method Arthur was using to apply the dye as well.

Nodding that that made sense, he wasn't about to say he understood because how could he, Eames went to work making a tree branch to anchor the future web to, figuring to practice with some relatives straight lines before he tried to get remotely fancy. "Do you ever do anything besides webs?"

Blake would have shrugged if stillness wasn't key. "Occasionally. I got the creative genes so his repertoire is limited."

"So that's where those genes went."

"Oh bite me, Eames."

"I have, Darling, repeatedly. You being up the duff is proof of that."

"Up the duff?" Arthur repeated, sure that the man had to be making that up. "I'm looking that up afterwards."

"I'm making YOU look up a word? My life is now complete. Darling, thank you."

Laughing in spite of himself, Arthur rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to what he was doing, his dimples showing as he mentally congratulated himself for manipulating them both into softer topics.

)

Taking in the space he'd been given hours later, Blake had to admit that while Eames might not be as sexy as his cousin, the man had one very boss attic. He friggin loved it. The people who had made this house had really known what they were doing. It was a lost art really, building a house that was not only original and reflected its owners, but came with an attic that had space and was more than just an extra storage room. The beauty of this one almost made up for the fact that he had gotten both arms and back tattooed and they still weren't done arguing about staying here.

Since he was choosing to be philosophical about that for the moment Blake rolled his shoulders in anticipation of some serious web spinning, it had been far too long. But before he could start the sound of his cell phone going off reached his ears, signaling that Beta was calling.

Retrieving the phone Blake brought it to his ear, his conversation with his business partner and second in command short and to the point. She'd been monitoring the Great Bitch's pack's activities, and had confirmation that arrangements had just been made that would have them in the air and on their way to England in approximately two and a half hours. Someone had tipped them off, she could find out who if it mattered.

"Find out and save the data. Time will tell if it matters."

"Do you need us?"

He hoped not, Blake thought as he told her no and to keep him abreast of anything else he might need to know. Arthur had sent out a highly encoded message to all their 'pack' members so they knew what was going on and that they might be called in to put some dogs down. They didn't get together often, cats to the bone that way, but for this they'd gather and work together as assassins with only one mission.

Eliminate any and all threats to one of their own.

The call lasted a few more minutes and then they ended it, Blake sending a quick text to his brother to let him know what their second had just passed on to him. Once he got a 'message received response' from Arthur Blake started to turn off the phone and put it away, hesitating as he studied it, pondering the thought that had just entered his head.

Tossing the cell back and forth between his hands as he paced, Blake mentally argued with himself as he considered the pros and cons to what he was considering. But in the end he accessed his contacts list to click on the number he'd saved in spite of himself, listening to the dial tone as it seemed to vibrate in his ear.

Then the voice he'd tried so hard to forget came, ruffling the fur he didn't actually have. "Blake?"

"I know you're coming. And just so we're clear, Bane, if you and your little mutts intend to cause trouble for me or mine-well-I can guarantee that you won't like what I'll be shoving up your ass this time around."


	10. Into My Web

Note: Yay, my cast is off and my wrist and arm are once again under my control. Still a little weak though, so I still have to baby it and do physiotherapy. Anyways, thanks for all the well wishes from you guys, it meant a lot!

Into My Web

Making a web was an art form that took hours to craft and reinforce for use, certainly not something to be rushed unless it had to be, so Blake was still spinning at a little past three in the morning, this not being a problem since he had too much on his mind to rest anyway. He required very little sleep to function, and could cat nap later if need be since he doubted the wolves would attack in broad daylight. Even they weren't quite that stupid. Of course it was also stupid to try and attack cats who could see in the dark just fine too, but Eames would be at a disadvantage if nothing else.

Note to self, test the boy toy's lethalness in the morning, get a real sense of what kind of backup the Englishman could actually provide in a worst case scenario.

Stretching to keep himself limber Blake had just started on reinforcing one of his web's corners when a beeping noise had his canines elongating a little, the sound a signal to him that the security measures Bruce had installed for him around the perimeter before the other man had left for had just been activated. Retrieving his IPad Blake quickly accessed the pictures that would have automatically been taken as soon as the line was breached, allowing him to confirm that the intruders were man and not a deer or some other large animal. No. Definitely humanoid.

Not wasting any time Blake retrieved his shoulder holster, a loaded gun on either side. His hunting knife went into his boot and the coordinates were memorized and transferred to his phone before he walked over to the rectangular gap in the floor, which would stay open as long as he was residing in the attic. He didn't require stairs to get to his lair and no one got in without his permission.

Dropping down to the floor he quickly covered the ground to the bedroom his brother shared with his lover, knocking once before opening the door, saying Arthur's name softly.

Both Arthur and Eames's voice answered, asking what was wrong.

"Two insurgents. I'm going to go check them out. I'll report back once I know something."

Leaving the door open a crack to give them warning if the impossible happened and someone managed to get past him and into the house, Blake didn't wait for confirmation and took off at a run, trusting that his brother at least would be armed and capable of putting bullets into anyone who thought to trespass on their territory momentarily.

)

Biting back some creative cursing Eames slid over to his side of the bed and retrieved the semi automatic he'd stashed under said bed before grabbing the other gun he'd placed under his pillow, Arthur doing the same on his side after putting in his Bluetooth so that he could receive communications from his brother while keeping his hands free. Neither turned on a light as they moved in the darkness, Arthur not needing to with his eyes glowing bright in comparison to the dark as he kicked down the blankets so that there was no chance of his legs getting tangled in the sheets should they need to get off the bed hastily. It wasn't likely, he told Eames in a low voice, sensing just how on edge the forger was, primed and ready to rumble. These two unknowns would need to make a deal with the devil to stand a chance of getting past his brother.

"Talia's pack shouldn't be here yet." Eames pointed out, wanting to go hunting too but not about to leave Arthur and their unborn babies alone. They were his only concern, his only reason.

"No. Odds are she had one of her men tap someone from your pack who's related to him or her by blood and happy to make some extra money. Recon most likely, I can't seem ordering extermination at this point when they don't have to full picture yet."

In other words their uninvited guests were likely people he'd grown up with, gone to school and played sports with since they were kids. He'd know them, and they were about to come face to face with Blake, a man who would undoubtedly not show them mercy and who no doubt intended to use them as examples to the other packs as to just what happened when you trespassed on their land and threatened the safety of his blood kin. "Will he let them live?"

"Depends what they were sent to do."

His first thought was to point out that Talia would have probably requested men with military training, aka not easily tracked, apprehended or made to talk, but his second thought was that Blake had grown up and been trained in a compound and they hadn't. Blake probably knew plenty about forcing others to obey you and do as you wished.

"Maybe he was right. Maybe staying here is suicide."

"Your convictions crumbling already?" Understanding, or at least somewhat, Arthur leaned in briefly to nuzzle their cheeks together, not willing to risk more than that until they knew the situation. "I need to be where your mother is and she needs to be here. We're between a rock and a hard place, yes, but only for a couple months. Then yes, odds are that the babies and I, at least, won't be able to come back here."

"I'm going wherever you're going."

Arthur's lips curved ever so slightly, though in the darkness Eames wouldn't be able to see it. "I know."

Armed and ready they stayed on full alert until finally, just when they were both starting to talk about going after the other man, Blake contacted them to state he had the two men in 'custody' and that they'd been sent to collect data and the layout and security only. He'd see that they wouldn't be going anywhere tonight and Eames was to contact his alpha and request that both wolf packs meet in the town 'hall' so that this little mess could be dealt with 'properly'.

"Is he hurt?" Eames wanted to know, setting his weapons aside so that he could get closer to Arthur, wrapping one arm around the point man's waist.

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that insult given the time."

Eames grinned at Blake's faint but audible response. "No insult meant, only concern."

A sound of disbelief. "To answer your unspoken question your former schoolmates aren't dead or with any physical damage that can't be healed." It went unsaid but implied that there might be mental scars that wouldn't be so easy to come back from.

Knowing the other unspoken question Arthur asked Blake for Eames. "Who did they send?"

"Salar's brothers."

Salar was in the top ranks, second only to Barsad in terms of standing with Bane. He was a brilliant strategist, excellent marksman, and unlike many of the other wolves in the pack as capable of leading as he was following orders. The man's half-brothers were regular army, and their second generation wolf genes did and would give them advantages over regular targets. But they didn't have the training or skill sets required to take on someone with Blake's repertoire. They wouldn't have stood a chance.

"That doesn't make any sense." Eames said, his words overlapping Arthur, who asked his brother how the two had gotten the request.

"By text, so yeah, Eames is right if we were to assume Salar actually sent the message. I'm betting no." Blake's sarcasm could be heard easily through the device. "The data we've collected suggests that Salar hasn't been as onboard with some of the Great Bitch's recent decisions, this would be a good way for her to deal with that."

"She figured we'd know they were coming and kill them." Arthur explained when Eames gave him an even more confused look. "She doesn't lose anyone valuable, it puts us on bad terms with your whole pack and vice versa, and Salar will be a lot more eager to listen to her if she's calling for our bloodshed because we've got his little brothers' blood on our claws. It wouldn't be hard for her to imitate a message from a man she's known since birth, not to mention she'd have their numbers, no question."

Eames considered this, seeing how she could make it work easily enough. No one in his pack aside from his parents and godfather had gotten the chance to know Arthur and would be more inclined to kill the visiting cats than listen to their reasons for doing so. Not to mention the fact that the idea of a man, even a hybrid one, could get pregnant would be greeted with suspicion and accusations, making it that much more likely they would see no cause for the execution of two of their own.

Thank God Blake hadn't killed them on sight.

"So what's the plan?" They would have one, Eames didn't doubt it.

"I let them get close to the house so that I wouldn't have far to go and more time to listen and observe. Neither of them will be capable of moving for the next twelve hours or so so that's not an issue. The only thing left to do at this point is send that message to Kingsley."

"You should probably tell him that Salar's brothers are our captives currently, so he and his men aren't distracted or away from town when their families report the two missing." Arthur added. "That could be part of her plan too."

Assuming that Eames would do as ordered since their plan was obviously solid, Blake announced he was signing off to stash his prey and would see them in the morning as he was going straight back to the attic once he was back in the house.

Watching Arthur remove the Bluetooth after Blake hung up Eames asked what Blake had given the two men to knock them out. It would be for the best if the two were up to talking and explaining themselves at the meeting, but from the sounds of it that wasn't going to be the case.

"He bit them."

Opening his mouth to ask what the bloody hell he was talking about Eames closed it as he recalled that Blake was not just jaguar, but spider as well. And spiders often paralyzed their prey. Add in the doctors screwing around with their DNA and abilities…he got it. "That's what he meant before, when he said he had the fangs to pretend to be Spike at that con thing. He didn't just mean his canines are a little pointy."

"No. We both have retractable fangs and claws under our normal nails. Like a regular cat."

Since he had to turn the light on to send his godfather a text anyway, Eames shifted over and turned on the bedside table lamp, the room brightening enough that they could see without being too blinded by the sudden light. Moving back so that he was close Eames asked to see Arthur's fangs, curious as hell to see how they came out.

Instead of flashing them Arthur leaned in and gave Eames a kiss before shaking his head. "I don't ever show them unless I have to." His bite did a great deal worse than temporarily paralyze someone. Instead he lifted up one hand and focusing on them had the second set of much sharper nails sliding out from under the normal ones. The claws were super thin and only about a half an inch higher than the regular nails, but they were sharp enough to do serious damage if need be.

"Wicked brilliant!" Super impressed Eames carefully took the hand in his so that he could bring it closer for a better look. "Like Wolverine!"

Eye rolling greeted that statement. "His came out of his fists, not his nails."

"Well I thought you'd be more than a little peeved if I compared you to Lady Deathstrike."

Okay, he had no idea who that was, but yeah, he probably would have been. And since he hated his oddities being studied Arthur retracted the claws again before Eames could cut himself on them. "Now send your text so that we can go back to bed. I'm tired and tomorrow promises to be a long one, Mr. Eames."

"As you wish, Darling."

)

Eames was surprised when he woke up the next morning before Arthur, but quickly chalked the unusual occurrence up to the fact that the man was pregnant and therefore probably wanted to get all the sleep he could before the size of his stomach made getting comfortable all but impossible. And thinking about that had him reaching out and gently pulling back the covers and then pulling up the shirt Arthur had worn to bed. Eames eyes moved lovingly over the sloped stomach that advertised the fact that his children were currently growing there, safe and sound. Their babies. His and Arthur's.

Doing his best not to wake Arthur up Eames gently stroking the surprisingly taunt little mound, leaning in to give the tummy a few kisses too as he wished his babies a good morning.

Excellent hearing picking up on the faint sound of amusement, Eames looked up Arthur's body to see a small smile on the other man's face, his instincts saying his darling wasn't nearly as asleep as he'd thought he was. And that being the case…

Shifting up so that he could wish his lover a good morning and steal a quick kiss Eames smiled when Arthur made another sound of pleasure, his dark lashes lifting a little to return his gaze. "Fancy breakfast in bed, Darling?"

A purr was Arthur's seal of approval on that idea.

"Be back shortly then, I'll wake you up when it's ready."

Closing his eyes again Arthur snuggled back into another cat nap while Eames headed out of the room, hardly out the door when his nose picked up on scents that would indicate he might not have to make breakfast after all. Arthur had said that Blake could cook, and his nose was in agreement at the moment.

Making no attempt to hide his approach, Blake probably wasn't someone you wanted to sneak up on even if you managed to by some miracle, Eames headed downstairs and straight into the kitchen, coming to a screeching halt when he got a look at the man in question who'd turned away from the stove to face him.

Gone was the Spike look, and in its place was a look that was pure tease. The well washed white t-shirt that was worn thin in all the right/wrong places, the baggy jeans that hung just low enough to show a teasing stripe of skin between the two main articles of clothing when the man moved. The slim, almost delicate looking collar around Blake's throat was black and plain, like a large size version of something you'd buy for a pet, and even that came second to the hair. The hair that was currently rumpled and curling and spoke of a LOT of wild sex.

A long pause….then the stating of the obvious.

"You're dressed like that to drive Bane absolutely mad today, aren't you?"

"I prefer his brain to be as fried as possible, yes." Blake gestured with the spatula in his hand. "I'm making an artery clogging breakfast for you and I, that way Arthur won't be too pissy about being stuck with the whole peanut butter and banana thing."

"Sounds good. The food part."

When Blake declined his help and stated that it would just be another ten minutes or so Eames decided to help himself to some strong tea as he tried his best not to stare at Blake, which was no easy thing. It was weird how much Arthur and his brother looked alike at times, then so different depending on what they were wearing and the sort of persona they'd donned at that moment to get what they wanted. Thank God Arthur was the one he'd met first was all Eames could think as he waited for the kettle.

Curiosity and feeling like he should say something had Eames speaking up. "Are you planning on vamping him into cooperating, or just fucking with his head for your entertainment? Because I have to say, the latter could end very badly for all involved." If Blake could mess with Bane's head the way Arthur could mess with his…very badly might be an understatement.

Blake's lips curved in amusement. "Neither. He doesn't deserve another chance with me between the sheets or on any other surface, and as entertaining as it would be to work him into a lather and then leave him high and dry repeatedly-that's not my style. No, this is strategic. He'll react, it will piss her off, and her pack, not being completely dumb, will put two and two together. They'll be a lot less willing to follow her orders behind his back if they think she's just acting out of jealous spite."

"They don't have that kind of relationship." Or he really hoped his cousin hadn't slept with Talia, though it would explain why Bane hadn't seemed to have that much interest in sex before Blake had come into the picture. Putting people off sex was probably something Talia was pretty good at.

"No, I don't think they do either. But she considers him hers, and she doesn't know how to share." Blake's smile went a touch feral. "Not that I'd have been willing to share with her either."

"Ah. There we are in agreement."

Turning his attention back to what he was doing Blake soon had breakfast plated for both his brother and his twin's lover, holding the two plates out to Eames.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

)

Bane next chapter, I promise lol.


	11. A Claiming

A Claiming

When Eames got back to their bedroom he wasn't surprised to see that Arthur was still under the covers, though the scents of their breakfasts was enough to wake him apparently since Arthur's eyes had opened by the time he'd reached the bed, the point man sitting up so that he could take his breakfast while making a crack about how Eames's breakfast was a heart attack waiting to happen. Why didn't he just put a gun to his head and pull the trigger. It would be faster.

"I do that enough, thanks." Settling down beside the man Eames asked how he was feeling, not commenting on the fact that Arthur looked less than thrilled by his breakfast. Bananas and peanut butter must be getting old.

"I'm okay. The real fun will start when they get big enough to kick the crap out of my stomach and I look like I swallowed a yoga ball." He was not looking forward to that, though thank God he was already used to getting by on little to no sleep.

Eames had to chuckle at that even as he reassured the other man that he wouldn't get that big.

"Oh won't I?" Arthur shot back, pointing a threatening finger in Eames's direction. "I'm carrying not one but two Eames babies in here. You were nine pounds, your mother said, and your sisters weren't little either."

Momentarily forgetting his breakfast, which was saying something since it was brilliant, Eames gave Arthur an inquiring look. "Will we give the sprogs my last name, or combine ours somehow, then?" He didn't mind sharing, but no way was any kid of his not going to carry his name in some form or another.

"I'm fine with them having your last name. Mine's just one Blake and I picked out, there's no family history to it or anything. They should have a real last name with a real family tree and all that." Taking note of Eames's pleased expression Arthur couldn't help but point out that their real problem would be agreeing on first names.

Eames grimaced at the memory of past horrors. "Yeah, my sisters were obsessed with finding the perfect names for their kids big time. Drove their men and us damn near crazy at times, wanting our suggestions and then tearing into us like ravenous hyenas over them."

"You were named after your maternal grandfather; we could keep up that tradition if we have a boy."

The look Eames aimed in Arthur's direction said it all.

"What? I said I liked the name Thomas before, remember? It just doesn't happen to suit you. Me yes, you no." Arthur smiled a little. "Actually, we should have each other's names, technically."

"You don't look like a Thomas, and just because I'm British doesn't mean I'm an Arthur. I'm even less an Arthur than I am a Thomas."

"Thomas means 'twin', which I am, Eames. And the most common meaning attributed to Arthur is 'bear'. You have a lot more in common with bears than I do."

Eames had to take a moment to decide whether to take that as a compliment or not. He was a wolf, so his first instinct was to take it as an insult, but bears were big, strong and powerful, and the stuffed animal versions were incredibly loveable. There was also the fact that they were eating machines, which Arthur no doubt knew very well, but if all of Blake's cooking was this bloody good he'd be eating extra just like his darling for the foreseeable future.

"So neither of our names suit us in meaning…though you do look like an Arthur to me."

"And you look like an Eames, as a first name anyway." Seeing that Eames didn't know what he was talking about Arthur explained that the last name Eames was typically translated as meaning 'son of the uncle', but as a first name it was more often defined as 'prosperous protector'. And if he was interested Blake fit him and his brother perfectly because it meant both light and dark.

"Son of the uncle?" His last name insinuated he was the result of an affair between his mum and uncle?

"Given the mortality rate at the time the name came into being I would imagine quite a number of uncles had to step in and play father to their nephews."

"Oh." Okay, that was acceptable, though he definitely liked the other meaning a lot better. "So I'm your prosperous protector, hmm, Darling?"

"I have more money than you."

Laughing, Eames just shook his head and then asked why Arthur knew so much about the meaning of names anyway.

"Names are important." Was Arthur's simple reply before he turned his attention back to his breakfast.

Opening his mouth to ask why Arthur had ended up with that name Eames closed it again just as quickly when he realized that Arthur either wouldn't know or the name had most likely been chosen at random by some scientist who hadn't cared enough to put any thought behind it. His point man had just said names were important after all, so he doubted his darling had picked out the name that labeled him a bear. Not when Arthur and his twin had picked out a last name that suited them so well.

So instead Eames simply said that they'd get some books and find the perfect names for their babies, Arthur giving him a small smile before nodding his head in agreement, reminding him that he better finish his breakfast before it got cold.

"Yes, Darling."

)

Eames wasn't sure exactly what to expect later that day, as the three of them drove to the town meeting hall with two heavy cocooned guys in the boot of their car. Blake apparently had some sort of plan, which Arthur seemed to know even though they hadn't had time to discuss anything outside his hearing, but neither would say much beyond the fact that a lot would depend on Salar. Since Salar didn't have the power to control anything at the meeting Eames's wasn't exactly sure where the wolf came in, but his sole job was to protect Arthur and the babies apparently and they were operating on a need to know basis at the moment.

They'd timed it so that they'd be the last to arrive, everyone else military punctual enough to come before the allotted time while they came in right on the dot. Eames and Blake flanked Arthur, each of them dragging a paralyzed body behind them, which naturally had everyone's attention except the ones walking towards the front where there were seats reserved for them. Their main attention was on the other side of the room even before Bane shocked everyone with his first spoken words since they'd entered.

"What did you do to your hair?!"

For his part Blake didn't react to the demand, his attention focused on trading cold, 'I hate you' looks with Talia, who had a tight grip on Bane's considerable bicep while the other wolves from both packs, besides the silently furious members of their captives' family, looked back and forth between the two parties like they were at a tennis match. Eames could all but see some of the lights dawning, especially since his cousin was looking at Arthur's twin like he didn't know whether he wanted to eat him in a good or bad way. One thing was certain, anyone with a nose was smelling the pheromones Bane and Blake were giving off that were a big clue as to the nature of their relationship, their bodies betraying them deliberately or not. It was obvious that Bane had eyes only for Blake anyway, Eames was pretty sure a herd of elephants could come charging through the room and Bane would hardly spare them a glance.

Blake was the only thing that interested his cousin at the moment.

Arriving at the front Eames and Blake dumped their cargo on the floor in front of the podium and then took their seats with Arthur squeezed between them with Eames family in the seats behind them to guard their backs.

After taking a brief moment to study the two men he'd been assured were still alive, though you wouldn't know it to look at them, Kingsley stepped up to the podium and cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention to him as he got straight to the point.

"You were all made aware that there were two feline hybrids staying with Tom Eames and that they and Eames's property, for the duration of their stay, were off limits without his permission under MY orders. Early this morning Privates Ian and Drew McNab disobeyed that directive and entered Eames's territory with the goal to collect data concerning Eames's property and the two hybrids if possible. They claimed to be acting at the directive of their brother Salar. Do you substantiate your brothers' claims?"

"My lieutenant gave no such order." Talia informed the other man before Salar could answer. "We received your message and made sure all our men were aware of the directive. This is your territory, we respect that. Most likely they were just curious about your guests, and thought to hide behind my pack as yours was the one to give the order."

"I appreciate the reassurance, Ms. Al Ghul, but you aren't the one I asked."

A telling pause and then Talia responded just as coolly that he didn't have the authority to question one of her pack. She spoke for them.

"I did not order them to do so, and my brothers are not liars."

Everyone looked in the direction of Salar, who was pointedly ignoring his alphas as he met Kingsley's gaze squarely. "If they said I contacted them then they were tricked into believing that I did so. Someone wanted the information they sought to gather and used me to do so, knowing that they look up to me and would trust me not to put them in harm's way. They should not have disobeyed your direct order, and have been punished for their disobedience. I ask for leniency as they have never stepped out of line like this before and won't again. I'll see to it personally."

"What they attempted to do endangered the lives of two children."

The sounds made throughout the room made it clear that everyone understood this wasn't a simple matter of a disobeyed order. Children were sacred; the wounds still festering all these years later amongst the first wolves, whose DNA had been stolen, their children denied them for years until they learned of their existence. And for those who'd been born in the labs, who were denied children or were struggling to have them because of the damage done to their experimented bodies at the compound… What the McNab boys done was an offense that called for exile, death if the children had been harmed.

As soon as the implications sunk in the father of the three men stood up and began to plead his sons' case, pointing out that none of them had been made aware that there were children staying at Eames's residence and that his sons would never knowingly cause harm to a child, Drew a father himself. And Drew's wife and daughter were water hybrids who both required medical care, the former's health bad enough that she had to stay in town, which wouldn't be an option if her family was thrown out of the pack.

Kingsley listened without interrupting, and then reminded his former sergeant that the two men had still disobeyed his orders. That a lack of knowledge about the situation just made them more culpable, because they hadn't had a justifiable reason to disobey him in the first place. They'd flaunted their alpha's authority and put lives at risk because they'd been challenged to do so by someone else. Nothing more.

Now Salar tried to speak up for his brothers, Kingsley's shooting him down after a couple words since Salar had already stated that he had had nothing to do with his brother's actions, and therefore this was none of his concern because he was of Al Ghul's pack. What his brothers had done was now a matter to be settled among his pack.

"I was used to gain their cooperation." Salar argued as he looked directly at Talia, his eyes silently communicating that he'd already worked it out in his head and believed her the true guilty party, knowing her dark intent towards the feline hybrid he'd recognized on sight. He spared a look at Bane, but knew better than to think the man would go against her. So he simply turned his attention back to Kingsley. "I'll accept any punishment in their place."

"You will not." Talia was not about to lose him, he was too valuable and knew far too much. "Our pack had nothing to do with this, their actions were their own and you will not take blame that will shame us."

"Then I am no longer of your pack. I will stand with my family."

While that shockwave hit Blake smiled and turned to look at Arthur, quietly stating that that was his cue before whispering a reminder to Eames that he was in charge of looking after Arthur while he dealt with this mess. Once Eames nodded in understanding Blake got to his feet and raised a hand, like a child offering to answer a question for his teacher. When Kingsley asked for silence it was quick to be given when everyone noticed why, the wolves all wanting to hear what the mysterious hybrid, who'd already caused so much trouble in their town, had to say on the matter.

"We would be willing to consider the present state of the two offenders enough punishment if Salar McNab is willing to atone for their actions in their place."

"And how would you have him atone?" Kingsley wanted to know.

"He must take The Pledge."

)

The reaction to Blake's question was immediate, the wolves of the Al Ghul pack setting off the others in the room with their sounds of shock and the immediate mumblings as they questioned how this hybrid could know about The Pledge. That was a secret rite, they all silently thought to each other, one unique to their compound and a matter of sworn secrecy. It was never to be revealed to outsiders on punishment of death. Even Bane and Talia looked dumbstruck, which was a sight so rare on their faces that the others would have appreciated it more if not for the fact that they were in the dark as to what Blake had just asked of Salar in exchange for mercy for his brothers.

Equally in the dark Eames gave Arthur a questioning look, the other man returning the glance with one that promised an explanation would be coming shortly.

All the chatter gave the wolf at the center of the controversy time to weigh his options, Salar raising his voice to be heard when he'd come to the only conclusion that would save and redeem his brothers, who'd been put into danger because of him. "Yes. I will take The Pledge."

That caused another round of exclamations from the Al Ghul wolves, though they went dead quiet when Bane spoke, his mechanized voice demanding to know how Blake knew of The Pledge.

"Your poor bald head would explode if you knew how much I know about your pack." Was Blake's response to that. It was the first time he'd spoken to Bane since he'd arrived, his cat eyes seeming to glow somehow despite the brightness of the room as he met the other man's gaze challengingly.

"He asked you a question." Talia hissed, furious that one of the rituals her father had devised especially for their pack had not only been discovered, but was being used against them. Not that the stupid spider cat could possibly know all of it, she told herself, no matter his claim to the contrary. They guarded their secrets too well.

"And I thought I made it clear the last time we met what happens when you talk to me without my permission."

"You will not threaten her."

"Or you'll what?" Blake shot back with a hint of purr in his voice and a raised eyebrow, something about his posture and expression bringing punishment via sex to the minds of the men around them, though no one was quite sure why because wasn't Bane asexual? Then they were too busy trying to get the mental images out of their head, all except for the two men in question, who silently savored them as they traded fierce looks.

Leaning over Eames whispered in Arthur's ear that if it weren't for the fact that it might get him killed he'd tell the two to get a room for Christ sakes.

Lips twitching Arthur agreed that that wouldn't end well in the current climate.

Everyone was so caught up in what was going on that it took some far longer than it should have for the wolves to note that Salar had quietly begun moving around his fellow pack members and was now in the center of the hallway, deliberately putting himself out of grabbing distance of the men he'd served with since birth as he headed towards the feline hybrid that quite possibly held his brothers' lives in his claws.

Stooping down beside them Salar checked their pulses for himself in the now dead quiet room, finding them sluggish but steady enough. They looked like they very large insects who'd been caught in a spider's web, the silk of the webbing faintly sticky against his fingers.

"Satisfied?"

Meeting the cat's challenging eyes Salar straightened up and moved in close, his voice so low only the two of them heard his words. "I'm only agreeing to this course of action because you're my true alpha's mate and this signs my death warrant."

It was small of him perhaps, but Salar couldn't help but take a moment to enjoy the shocked dilation of the hybrid's pupils before he turned his attention to undoing the top buttons of his shirt before pulling the material off to the side to reveal the mark that all members of the Al Ghul pack carried, four deep claw marks over their left shoulder, made by Bane to claim them as his.

"You belong to us." Talia hissed, finally having regained her senses enough that she started to move forward to stop this, Bane's hand stopping her this time as he reminded her that there was nothing she could do if this was Salar's choice. He was dead to them now.

"Unless she wants to admit she sent them to Eames's place." Blake corrected as he carefully slid his mask of charming scoundrel into place, his smile that of a predator spotting wounded prey of the best kind. "That would certainly change things."


	12. Marking Territory

Note: My wrist is officially good as new, or close to it anyway since I still have the occasionally twinge when I twist it wrong doing something. Thanks for all the kind words and wishes!

Marking Territory

The room was silent with all eyes on Talia, no one surprised when she refused to say anything. She'd gone back to her fallback setting, every inch of her projecting the façade of a cool, controlled, and not quite harmless lady who showed only what she wanted to be seen. She valued Salar, yes, but not enough to risk her own neck or admit to the huge mistake she'd made in arranging for the McNab men to try and scout out Eames's territory. She never admitted she was wrong because she hadn't been. To her mind when things went wrong it was always someone else's fault, and she always made sure to eliminate those who ruined her plans.

Well aware of this Blake simply shrugged and said that in that case he'd accept Salar's offer.

"Where is proof of the children?"

All eyes went to Bane, who repeated the question because he saw no reason to take the word of outsiders as to who had been in the house the McNabs had visited. For that matter he couldn't understand why the presence of said children hadn't been announced ahead of time, insuring that only the truly stupid would dare trespass given the laws set down concerning the protection of children in the town.

Having discussed this previously with the two felines Kingsley answered the question now that all the main players were here and would be able to see firsthand instead of hearing it second hand and not believing a word of it. Seeing really was believing in this case. "The two male feline hybrids here were part of a special group that were subjected to physical alterations that were meant to allow them to be capable of becoming pregnant. The original results indicated these adjustments to be failures, which is what you'd expected, however one, Arthur, has since become pregnant by Thomas Eames and is staying with him for the duration of said pregnancy along with his brother, in order to avail himself of the superior healthcare we can provide him. He's carrying twins."

Immediate denial from the crowd surprised no one.

Knowing the importance of visuals, especially when dealing with idiots, Arthur got to his feet and with Eames walking protectively beside him moved to the front, the point man turning so that he was standing sideways before lifting up his shirt to reveal the noticeable bump.

The sight was enough to quiet everyone else down a little, which gave Eames's mother a chance to announce that she'd performed the ultrasound herself and had confirmed everything Kingsley had just said. And because she very much wanted her two grandchildren to live she very firmly stated that it was of the utmost importance that Arthur be cared for by her and kept as stress free as possible due to the fact that it was already a major miracle that he'd been able to conceive at all. His health was delicate and she would not stand for anyone making this any harder on him than it already was.

The closet wolf to Arthur besides Eames, Salar had a front row view of the belly and the sight of the proof of pregnancy had him saying what a number of believers were also thinking. "Man that's got to suck."

"You have no idea."

Curiosity and knowledge of Blake's former relationship with Bane had a number of wolves looking at Blake with the sort of speculation that had the feline glaring back at them, Blake pointedly ignoring Bane's stare in particular.

Since one of the last things he wanted was to imagine what the offspring of those two would be like, Lord help them all, Kingsley turned the conversation back to the situation at hand by telling Arthur he could return to his seat so that Blake and Salar could take care of this Pledge business, which he desperately wanted to know all about and planned to grill the hybrid about later since Talia was so upset about it.

"Ready when you are." Was Salar's response, tipping his head to the side to give Blake more room to work with.

Nodding in agreement Blake deliberately shot Talia a knowing little smile before he turned his attention to the wolf before him, shocking all the members of said wolf's former pack when he began to speak, Arabic flowing smoothly off his tongue, the words showing fluency and a knowledge of what to say without hesitation. This hybrid did indeed know this ritual, the meaning and the binding of it. The vows he was demanding, and Salar was accepting, would bind Salar to the feline for as long as there was air in his lungs and blood in his veins. His life was the hybrid's to do with as he pleased. And in exchange Salar's life and wellbeing was Blake's to protect and guide, the feline hybrid now his alpha.

Words spoken Blake held up a hand, allowing his claws to come out and be seen before he stretched out his fingers, which was necessary since his ordinary reach wasn't nearly as wide as Bane's. But he could reach just enough to set a claw over each of Bane's claw marking, digging in and drawing blood once more as he placed his seal of ownership over Bane's.

When the scars were completely reopened and bleeding Blake used one of his claws to cut his own palm before placing the now bloody skin over top of the wounds he'd just made, adding his own blood to the mix as he spoke the final words that sealed the deal so to speak.

Salar belonged to him and his pack now.

Removing his hand Blake glanced for a moment in Bane's direction as his tongue came out to lick a path up the wound he'd made on his palm before he turned his attention back to the woman whose fury was a living thing in those dark, dark eyes.

"Salar McNab belongs to me now and is under my protection. Through him his family are also granted that privilege. Any action taken against them without my knowledge and a damn good reason will lose not only a great deal of blood, but most likely their lives. I will consider it a declaration of war and my pack and I will respond accordingly. This is your only warning."

Okay…he'd been pretty sure that this feline who was now his alpha had only demanded the Pledge because it would be a major slap to Talia's face and because it would infuriate Bane to the man's core to see his mate claim another wolf as his after so publicly rejecting him. Apparently he'd underestimated the hybrid's intentions towards him.

This could not end well for any of them, Salar decided as he redid the shirt buttons. Death was probably going to look preferable really soon.

)

The rest of the meeting was anticlimactic, with Blake using his claws to slice through his webbing to give easy access to the men he'd caught that morning, the two taken away by their father and a family friend with Eames's mother going with them to oversee their care. Salar remained behind and was given the doctor's seat since he couldn't go back to his earlier one. His former pack were all demanding to know how the hybrid had learned about their rite but Blake wasn't talking and Kingsley wasn't about to make him since Blake wasn't a member of his pack and the matter wasn't one of life threatening importance. Blake knew about their little secret and they were just going to have to deal with it.

"And on that note I think this meeting can conclude unless there's other business to discuss."

When all was quiet on that front Kingsley announced that the meeting was adjourned and that the Al Ghul pack was to leave first and then his own. The hybrids were not to be approached and the rules involving Eames's property and his guests were still in effect. If ANYONE trespassed or attempted to harm the hybrids in any way they had been given the all clear to use deadly force to protect themselves. And these were not hybrids you wanted to mess with, obviously.

Only when Bane ordered them to do so did his pack get up from their seats and start filing out of the room, too well trained to listen to anyone else but their alphas. Talia and Bane went out together, the latter appearing indifferent to Blake now though no one was buying it. As they approached the exit the wolf they'd stationed at the very back moved to join them, Bane's right hand man moving into position to guard their backs as he'd been trained to do since he could walk.

But Barsad glanced once behind him to meet Salar's gaze, acknowledging his former comrade with a slight nod before he left and let the door close behind them.

After a pause to give their offspring or sibling's' pack time to vacate the area the rest of the wolves started to file out with plenty of backward glances towards their alpha and the latest additions to their town. They all wanted more information but were equally aware that odds weren't good that they'd be enlightened anytime soon. The fact that there were trying to wrap their minds around the fact that there was a pregnant guy in the room didn't help matters.

Once they were all out of the way for the time being Blake turned his attention to his newest pack member who had come to stand awkwardly beside him, waiting for his own orders. "You want to go to the hospital to see your brothers, right?"

Surprised at the offer Salar hesitated and then nodded his head.

"Then we'll head there now. It's as good a time as any to find out if I have a working womb too anyway."

"Let's hope not."

"You and me both." Blake assured him with a knowing smirk, the feline turning his head when his name was spoken by Eames's father. Then he had a whole other reason to smirk as he was introduced to Bane's father, Martin Eames, who was very curious about him and his relationship with his son.

Having been trained to withstand interrogations of the most painful and psychologically scarring Blake handled the other man with calm ease, sidestepping the man's attempts to get a firm understanding of his and Bane's former relationship and sticking with very short responses that revealed as little as possible. He could tell that this Eames loved Bane a lot, and was worried about his son, but there was nothing he could do about Bane's horrible life choices so long as he remained with Talia. She was unquestionably a relationship breaker.

"Sorry to interrupt but we should really be heading out if Salar is going to see his brothers and Blake get that test done. I don't want Arthur out and about any more than he has to be." That and Eames knew his uncle well enough to know that the man would soon lose his patience and try to back Blake into a corner to find out what he wanted to know. That wouldn't end well.

"I am getting a little tired." Arthur volunteered, though he was actually doing pretty good all things considering. He was due for a nap soon, but he refused to phrase it that way unless he had to. It sounded so childish.

"We'll walk you over to the hospital." Eames's father decided, thinking to appease both parties that way.

Agreeing that that was a great idea Martin motioned for the four to go ahead, he and his own brother would bring up the rear with Kingsley, who had stayed behind to find out more about this Pledge thing and trusted that they could also explain this on the way.

As they headed out Salar very quietly informed Blake that he would not reveal any of the secrets entrusted to him while he'd been a part of his former pack under any circumstances. His loyalty was to him now, but he would not betray his former comrades either.

"Like I said before, I know everything worth knowing already." Was Blake's reply, complete with dismissive shrug. He didn't want or need Salar as a source of information. The wolf was now his because it would piss off Talia, add to the people here who'd look after and protect Arthur, and because he respected the wolf's loyalty to his brothers.

"What do you want to know about The Pledge?" Arthur asked once they were outside so that his brother could concentrate on guarding him instead of answering questions.

"How about you just explain the whole bloody thing and we'll tell you when to stop." Eames's father suggested.

"You wolves thrive on the pack mentality, hierarchy is everything. In the compound they were trained to believe in that absolutely, their status, responsibilities, and the privileges they received a direct result of where they were situated in that hierarchy based on their physical and mental prowess. To rise in the hierarchy you had and have to prove yourself better than those above you, as well as take on the responsibility of training and looking after those below you. All the wolves wear Bane's mark on their shoulder as a sign that they belong to him and through him Talia because they're the alpha couple, the top of the hierarchy. The scarring is proof that they consider him superior to all others and will follow him until death, that they're so sure of his place above them that they'd let him permanently mark them. By removing Bane's mark of possession Blake implied that he is the better alpha, using their own ceremony against them as an additional slap to their faces."

Following along well enough Eames's eyes bore into Salar's as he asked for confirmation that the wolf was now on their side of things.

"Until she figures out a way to kill me, yes."

Since the wolf had no idea what sort of pack he'd just been initiated into Arthur didn't take offense over how little Salar thought of their ability to be proper alphas to him. "My information has you as someone as hard to kill."

"Normally yes. But she's going to be gunning for all of us now, and odds are she'll succeed in taking out a couple of us before whoever's left takes her out."

"Even if she doesn't realize how stupid it would be to try to kill any of you Bane isn't. He'll stop her." Eames's father argued, his brother nodding in absolutely agreement when it came to his own son's genius.

The twins and Salar all shook their heads at the same time.

"My son isn't her stooge."

Arthur explained. "That pack is essentially a cult, Mr. Eames. They've all been brainwashed from the cradle to believe certain things and one of those things is that she's more important than the collective. Her father saw to that. In their eyes she's someone they should value and protect more than their own lives. Over a decade of training to that effect is not something easily overcome, especially when she's made sure to drill it into their heads that their only real family is the pack and that they're better than everyone else. That's one of the reasons she used Salar, because you refused to believe that."

"Among other things." While the majority of them had been welcomed into the homes of their sperm donors when they'd been removed from their compound, it was also true that most had a cordial to lukewarm bond with their blood relatives. His little brothers had made him family before he'd realized what a grip they'd gotten on his heart and loyalty. "Bane will try to talk her out of it, but she's learned well how to work around him."

In agreement that she wasn't liable to take this sitting down for long Kingsley asked what he and his pack could do to help said retaliation from happening successfully.

All six men were security minded, and they discussed what could be done until they were in sight of the hospital, able to see who stood on the front steps waiting for them.

"Think he's going to try and chew me out over my hair?"

Shaking his head Eames expressed the opinion that that was probably low on the list of things Bane wanted to chew him out over.

)

Standing straight and tall as he watched the small group approach, Bane had eyes only for the jaguar spider whose scent was being carried by the breeze and wrapping around him like a lover as he greedily breathed it in. Even the offending smell of the products Blake had used on his hair to bleach the color out couldn't truly disguise the other man's scent, though he hated the alteration on both counts. But now that the red haze had left his eyes for the most part Bane could see that the hair was meant to differentiate his lover from the man's twin, insuring that Talia's wrath would be directed at the right brother.

Bane had no doubt that if he told Blake that that precaution would be unnecessary if he would just stop deliberately picking fights with Talia it would go unheeded. For months now he'd been trying to get her to call off her search for Blake, making progress up until Kingsley had announced who had come to stay with his cousin for an undisclosed amount of time. Now, because of what had happened with Salar, Bane had no idea what he could do to keep blood from being shed and that was not a situation he was comfortable being in.

To push aside those thoughts Bane focused instead on what he was going to say, trying to ignore the sexiness of his kitten's appearance which had no doubt been a deliberate ploy on Blake's part. The man was naturally sexy and erotic, so when he tried he was devastating beyond words. That Blake was looking this way in front of other men, had dared to claim another wolf in front of him and allow their scents to mingle…

Back came the red haze.


	13. Size Does Matter

Note: There will be no updates next week due to me being on holidays. Will try to write extra during the Christmas holiday to make up for it! Happy and Merry just in case!

Size Does Matter

Now Eames had never actually seen his cousin furious before, and had always figured that that was a good thing since he figured that Bane would be pretty damn terrifying in such a state. He'd been right. The hairs on the forger's body were standing up like he'd just received an electric shock, the look on Bane's face making Eames hesitate for a moment before his protective instincts towards Arthur and their unborn twins overrode even his most primitive self-preservation instincts. Praying for divine intervention he ordered the others to look after Arthur and then ran ahead to meet Bane head on before the others.

Coming to a stop in front of the towering mound of muscle Eames got straight to the point, in a voice meant for his cousin's ears only. "I might not know what happened between the two of you exactly but I do know something about relationships and dealing with Blake's brother when he wants to blow my brains out. You do not want to confront him or go all territorial on his fine arse or he will tear you to shreds and never give you another chance. Ever."

"You're after him too?"

Okay…scary face. "He and Arthur are twins, Bane. They're fucking identical and I know every inch of Arthur's lovely posterior. I assure you my intentions towards Blake are entirely brotherly. The two of them would bloody well castrate me otherwise. Now be polite and civil, for Christ sakes, and maybe between the two of us we can fix whatever happened between you and my sorta brother in law."

What Bane would have said in response to that was cut short by the arrival of the others, Bane's attention immediately leaving Eames's face to zero in on Blake like a heat seeking missile. The rest of them might as well have not been there for all the attention they were paid and they knew it, the wolves completely taken aback by this un-Bane like behavior.

Blake and Arthur took it in stride because to their feline minds Bane deserved to suffer for his transgressions and therefore should be focused on the one he'd so stupidly given up for his psycho bitch.

"Blake."

"Bane." Seeing that whatever Eames had said to the man had gotten through, which was probably for the best, unfortunately, Blake opted to be very civil as he explained that they were on their way in so that Salar could visit his brothers and he could get some X-rays done. If Bane wanted to talk he'd have to wait until another time.

"Why do you need X-rays?"

Part of it was the fact that Eames's mother wanted to take some scans to study in Arthur's place since she didn't want to possibly risk the babies' health by scanning him, but leaving that out Blake simply smiled and stated that he wanted to find out if he could get pregnant or not too.

Eyes noticeably darkening at the thought Bane's eyes went to Blake's stomach and then back up to meet his former lover's, the electricity between the two almost visible to the others.

Shaking his head a little Arthur tightened his grip on his older brother, nodded to Bane and then started towards the front door of the hospital, dragging the amused other feline behind him. And not to be left behind the others were quick to follow, Bane included.

Arriving in the main area where overnight patients were kept shortly after, Arthur politely asked Kingsley if he would remain in here with Salar in order to insure that nothing happened to the wolf while he was out of their sight. An impulsive fool Talia might be, Arthur stated loudly enough for Bane to hear, but even she wouldn't be so foolish as to attack Salar while the alpha watched over him so soon after the recent incident.

Nodding his head in agreement Kingsley trusted that his men and Emily would give him the rundown later in regards to whatever was discussed and brought to light once the scans were taken. And technically Salar's brothers were still of his pack so their wellbeing was important to him even though he was going to tear strips off their disobeying hides when they were back to normal.

For her part there wasn't a lot Eames's mother could do for her two new patients, Blake had given her a rundown already as to what to expect both now and when the paralysis eventually wore off, so leaving said patients to their family and a couple of her nurses the doctor was happy to take this opportunity to use her government supplied cutting edge technology to discover everything she could about these felines that so obviously defied a number of nature's rules.

The machine she had Blake step onto in another, highly restrictive part of the building resembled a launch pad or something out of a Star Trek movie, red beams shooting seven feet in the air around him like bars before starting to slowly turn around the circular pad as it read his body and recorded the information. The process took about five minutes and then Blake was allowed to step down, the group waiting several minutes for the data to process before a holographic image of Blake appeared where he'd formerly stood.

"Excellent." Rubbing her hands together Eames's mother used the voice recognition program to order the image to display only Blake's skeletal structure to begin with.

Starting from the head down the image changed to reveal Blake's skull down to his shoulders before the doctor called the process to a halt, ordering that the representation of Blake's skull be magnified by a hundred percent.

"What is with your jaw? And the teeth-you have retractable fangs?"

Since she'd already answered the last part of the question Blake only addressed the first. "Jaguars, in comparison to most large feline species who go for the throat, have a very unique killing method. They open their mouths very wide and bite into the skull to pierce the brain."

Connecting the dots all the individuals in the room concluded that both Arthur and Blake could open their mouths to an unusual wide degree and possibly crack someone's skull with their teeth. Most of them remained hooked on those disturbing mental images while Bane and Eames's thoughts jumped from that to the fact that they suddenly had a very good understanding as to why their respective felines had so easily introduced them to mindless ecstasy through blow jobs that had included deep-throating them effortlessly. Man, and they'd thought the roughness of their kitty's tongues was a bonus.

Being men the two cousins had to wallow in those fond memories for several moments until a low, distress sound made the two snap back to attention, alerting them to the fact that all of Blake's skeletal structure was now on view.

Seeing that everyone's attention was focused on closely studying the image the two men moved in close to get a better look too, Blake remaining near Arthur and letting them gawk. The twins knew the damage their bodies had taken both before and after they'd escaped from their compound. They'd decided that there was no harm in letting Bane see the images because the healed breaks, missing bone fragments, and indentations left from surgeries and foreign objects making contact with said bones were so numerous that they would in no way indicate to the wolf where Blake's physical weaknesses were. Instead, the twins silently communicated to each other, it would make it clear to everyone that they were warriors too.

It was Blake who finally cut through the thick silence that had descended on them. "My bones won't tell me my reproductive capabilities, Dr. Eames. If you wouldn't mind…?"

She'd scanned every hybrid and wolf that had come from the compounds in America, had seen the mess countless surgeries and inhuman experimentation had made of their bodies, but never had she seen structural damage like this from any of them. As the wife and doctor for a number of soldiers she'd seen these kinds of injuries before, but even then…not like this. And certainly not at this stage of healing in a body so young. And while the logical, clinical part of her brain noted that at this level there were no physical abnormalities save for the hint of where his tail would have been…it was all Eames's mother could do to huskily clear her throat and order the images to shift to reveal the area they were supposed to be focusing on at that moment.

Seeing that area of his anatomy blown up to an eyebrow raising size had even Blake feeling a little bashful, though he supposed he should take some pride in how hung he was currently looking. Hearing his anatomy dissected was familiar to him, the feline tuning her out for the most part until Bane's aunt announced that she thought she had it figured out.

"You have the capacity to get pregnant too, but only with a wolf or coyote hybrid. I don't think there are any Darwin's fox hybrids. It's the knot that's the key, acting as a stopper that insures at least some of the sperm goes through this passageway located here to the artificial womb. Then it would depend on whether you're fertile at that time and whether the shared DNA can successfully come together. "

"So the knot's the key, makes sense." Blake glanced over at his brother. "If size alone mattered Teddy would have knocked you up long ago."

"True."

"Teddy." Eames repeated as his eyes narrowed slightly, his hearing excellent. "The grizzly hybrid from the Sullivan-your compound?"

Men, Arthur and Blake thought in perfect unison as they nodded in synch.

Not liking that idea at all Eames wandered over to draw Arthur back against him, looking over at Blake as he stated that he would have thought the taller but not nearly as buff as Bane bear hybrid would be more his type than Arthur's.

"I dated him first but we didn't gel so to speak." Was Blake's amused response. He hadn't slept with Teddy, their preferences in that area being what hadn't gelled, but he saw no reason to point that out with Bane in the room. "He and Arthur suited each other better. Though yes, I am a firm believe that size really does matter. Especially in certain areas, where Teddy did excel."

Bane joined Eames in scowling.

Having had more than a few brushes with the gross stupidity of males when the green eyed monster had them by their penises Eames's mother cleared her throat to regain their attention as she informed them that the computer had informed her that Blake appeared to be in excellent health all things considering.

Salar and Kingsley's arrival ended all non-medical talk for the rest of the visit, which most everyone mentally thought was for the best.

)

Shortly after the new arrivals Bane received a call from Talia that had him leaving with obvious reluctance, then Eames stated that they should be heading back to his place too since Arthur looked tired and they could all probably use a nap since last night's events had insured they hadn't gotten nearly enough sleep. With Salar with them that wouldn't be a problem, since apparently he was on their side now. Further medical study could wait for another time.

Agreeing to leave Blake insisted first that the medical data taken about him be deleted so that Bane's pack wouldn't be able to get ahold of it. He didn't see how they could use it but better safe than sorry. He didn't mind Bane getting an overview he could communicate to the rest of his pack, but an in-depth study was a whole other ball of yarn and one he wasn't going to risk playing with, feline or not.

Seeing that he was positive her nephew's pack could and would steal the data from her computer Emily agreed and then asked Arthur if he wouldn't be able to do something about that since he was supposed to be very talented when it came to computers.

Promising to help with that in the near future Arthur thanked her for her help and then let himself be escorted out of the building by his brother and the wolves who encircled them protectively all the way back to the car they'd come in in. Fighting the urge to point out that he wasn't helpless yet wasn't easy, but he managed it, thankfully.

Not wanting to be physically separated from Arthur Eames offered to let Blake drive, the feline happy to take the wheel while Salar took the passenger seat and the other two sat side by side in the back with Eames's arm wrapped protectively around Arthur's waist.

Sensing the undercurrents, he had to be on alert since his pregnant ass was apparently going to have to referee countless conversations in the coming future, Arthur linked his fingers with the hand that cupped his stomach and then looked over to meet Eames's gaze, a raised eyebrow his silent way of asking if it was okay to discuss whatever was bothering the forger while they had company. There were a number of things it could be after all.

Moving so that he could place his lips against Arthur's ear Eames spoke in a voice so low only the other man could hear him. "I find myself torn between wanting to fuck your considerable brains out, Darling, or kissing every scar those bastards put on your body and then desecrating their graves if they have any." There was no question that none of those responsible were still alive.

Liking those mental images quite a bit Arthur turned his head to rub their cheeks together for a moment before it was his turn to speak very quietly. "I don't see why you couldn't do the first two. There aren't any graves for you to desecrate though." Just rubble or ash. Their 'trainers' had taught them well. And appreciating the fact that he didn't doubt Eames would have kill his former tormentors for him if he'd had the chance Arthur smiled a little and added something that was a little embarrassing and would certainly go straight to the other man's head…but was something he could give back.

"He dumped me because of you."

Eames's response was a sound of confusion, the forger ducking his head so that he could place his ear closer to Arthur's lips to catch it.

"Teddy. He dumped me because of you." And just so that wouldn't be misunderstood Arthur was quick to explain. "We went out on and off for a while but one day you called about that job in Jordan, and he was there, watching me. After I'd hung up he said that he'd never got to me the way you did, and I should be dating you instead."

As predicted Eames grinned like a cat that had got the canary, or the wolf that had got the T-bone in this case, Arthur thought with affectionate amusement, his head already tilting to the right angle to accept the kiss Eames laid on him.

When he pulled back Eames was still looking very pleased with himself as he whispered that Arthur was probably sorry he hadn't jumped him in Jordan, hmm?

More than capable of playing too Arthur put on his most arrogant ass face. "Well I had to figure out if you could…measure up to my standards first, now didn't I?"

Remembering Blake's earlier jab well Eames was about to make a comment that might have got him into some hot water when a phone went off, h the tune one he quickly recognized as being Phil Collin's 'You'll Be In My Heart'.

Pulling said phone out of his jacket Arthur's lips curved into a special smile as he answered. "Hey, Baby. Thanks for getting back to me."

"Well of course, Mommy." It was a woman's voice that came out of the speaker, though the words and tone were more suited to someone much younger and filled with love and affection. "I would have got back to you sooner but I had to blow some human traffickers away."

"That's my girl."

The look Eames gave him had Arthur biting down on his bottom lip to keep from laughing.

"So what's up? And where are you, anyway?"

"I'm in England at the moment."

"Oh? Ohhhhhhhhhhhh, do you need me to shoot that Bane guy because he was so mean to Daddy? Or his cousin, the sexier one you work with? I thought we liked him at the moment but if you don't then I could even kill both of them with one bullet if I could get them in the right position. Two dogs, one bullet. Get it?"

"Got it and no, Eames is definitely off limits there, and if Blake wants Bane dead he can do it himself. And hold on a second, I have to tell someone something now." Putting a hand over the phone Arthur felt the need to quickly explain to Eames that Quinn wasn't physical strong and only slightly above average when it came to her fighting skills. Ergo when she was aiming to hurt somebody she shot them as opposed to just breaking their nose or something.

While Eames obviously struggled to compute that Arthur went back to explaining to Quinn why he'd left her a message telling her to call him ASAP. "Blake and I are going to be in England for the next two and a half months or so. We're actually staying with Eames. And the reason why is that apparently the breeding program You-Know-Who started actually works when the other male is a wolf. If everything goes according to plan…you're going to be a big sister."

A long pause. "You're pregnant, not Daddy, right?"

"Now how many children ever have reason to say that to their parents." Eames murmured under his breath, lips twitching at the thought.

"Not many." Arthur agreed before he turned his attention to convincing Quinn that being a big sister was going to be the best thing ever for the rest of the car ride.


	14. Check-ups and Cheerios

Check-ups and Cheerios

It took some convincing, but by the time Arthur had hung up the phone Quinn was willing to entertain the idea that having to share him with siblings could be a good thing, provided of course that the twins were male so she was the only girl, and she got to buy them their first guns and show them how to use them. She was willing to let him decide when they were old enough to be taught, but if they were going to be her brothers they needed to be taught right the first time. Arthur was willing to agree to those terms, and promised that he and Eames would hope very hard that the babies were male.

"We're going to let her teach them to play with guns?"

Not surprised that that was the first thing Eames wanted to say after he'd hung up, who could blame him, Arthur gave him a reassuring shoulder squeeze. "There's no one better. And we'll supervise."

Damn right they would.

After that Arthur went up to have his nap, the other three remaining downstairs as Salar was given a tour of the house and given an overview of the security measures that had been put in place. Not surprisingly Salar had some ideas of how said security could be improved, the men sitting down to discuss strategy afterwards.

It was when that was done that Blake asked if his new 'pack' member intended to stay with his family at night, in case they were targeted.

Salar was willing to bet that this particular hybrid didn't have a lot of weakness, but family was the obvious one. That had been made clear. So the question and implied option didn't really surprise him this time around as he stated that yes, he'd prefer to stay with his family unless there was a reason he needed to remain here on sentry duty.

"I thought so. You can head back that way now, call for a ride since we can't leave Arthur here. The effects of my venom should have worn off by now and you probably want to talk to your brothers when they can actually talk back, see what you can find out. I'll also transfer your first month's pay into your bank account tonight."

"My pay?"

"Some of my 'pack' work for Arthur and I and are paid for that. You're working for us here, protecting Arthur and Eames, ergo you'll be paid for that. Once we can leave here and that's no longer an issue you'll be assigned other work." The number Blake named had both Eames and Salar goggling at the feline a little, though both wolves knew that to be only slightly higher than what an experienced bodyguard would normally make. But Blake hadn't had to offer that kind of money, and they all knew it.

Suspicion was in Salar's voice when he asked the most obvious question. "What kind of other work?"

The innocent look Blake gave them didn't fool the wolves for a moment.

"Arthur and I own a business that specializes in retrieving stolen art and other collectables even after the statute of limitation has passed. We're hired by museums and private collectors, though we have very strict rules about what kind of clients we take on, numero uno being that they actually have to own the item in question. You have experience with security systems, research, dealing with shady characters etc etc. I think we'll be able to find something for you to do. Many of us spend a lot of time in Europe."

"You're a good cat burglar? Seriously?"

Blake smirked in response to Eames's question. "I'm a legitimate businessman, thank you very much. I have a business card and everything."

"Uh huh. And Arthur helps you between jobs?"

"Well now that you got him-how did you put it…up the duff, it will be full time. A lot safer after all, not to mention we offer medical and dental coverage. What you do is your business of course, though he'll have plenty to say on the matter no doubt…but Arthur will be sticking with me and mine from now on."

If you were a dream worker, or involved in any illegal or covert work, you didn't mention your family to anyone. You kept that to yourself and prayed like hell that the people you loved would never come face to face with the people who hated you. So really the only 'family man' he knew in his business well was Cobb, and that right there was reason enough for both him and Arthur to quit now that they were going to be parents. He didn't even want to imagine how much it was going to cost to get those kids the therapy they would need in the years to come, much less the lasting scars that not even time would ever really heal when it came to Mal and their father being accused of murder. And while neither he nor Arthur was the type to mess up as spectacularly as Dom did and Mal had, there were always things you just couldn't foresee and plan for.

And what had almost happened during Inception, with his children already conceived in Arthur's womb even though they hadn't known it…just the thought of what could have been terrified Eames to his very marrow and made his next words absolute in his mind.

"I'm retiring too."

Since there was nothing he wanted more than to have his baby brother working for him, under his protection and supervision so that he KNEW nothing was going to happen to him, Blake was happy that Eames was willing to retire since it meant Arthur could cut all ties with the dream world. It was seductive and addicting, the work they did, and his brother and Eames were the best and in high demand. Both walking away together, for their children, would be best.

Taking the conversation to mean he might as well head out, it had been a damn long day and he had a hell of a lot to think about, Salar got to his feet and asked his alpha for permission to head out for the night. Blake had gotten his number already, and he had no doubt the feline would be able to get ahold of him if he needed him.

"Go ahead. See you tomorrow, seven."

"I'll be here."

)

After Salar left for the night Blake put together dinner for them, Eames helping and then heading upstairs to tell Arthur it was time to eat. Over dinner they all discussed the various things that had been discussed while Arthur had been asleep, including the fact that Eames would be retiring from his former occupation too. Arthur's response to that was to raise a single eyebrow, but he didn't argue with the announcement or the fact that both men seemed to think he was retiring too. He was, of course, his children came first and they would not grow up the way Dom's kids had, but it also went without saying that telling him he was doing something without asking him was a good way to end up broken on the floor. Fortunately for them, they were family. And he was in a relatively good mood.

So he didn't correct them and dinner continued, the meal going well and afterwards they opted to get out a deck of cards and play poker for Cheerios. That seemed best given Eames's gambling history, the fact that Blake and Arthur were naturally competitive, and the fact that all three figured things would stay more peaceful if it was impossible to take it too seriously.

They'd been playing for a little over an hour, Blake and Eames about even Cheerio wise while Arthur was a little behind because the man was just not a risk taker, when Eames's phone went off. Pulling it out of his pocket Eames read the name and then told them he'd fold and they could play without him for a bit. He needed to take this call.

In perfect unison the twins asked if it was Bane.

"Yes." And on that note Eames accepted the call, asking Bane to hold on a moment so that he could step out of the room. Once he did he told his cousin to go ahead, he was listening.

"I have a favor to ask you."

Eyebrows rising, Eames's expression shifted quickly to a wince. "Depends on the favor." He and his cousin, as much as he hated the idea, were not currently on the same side. He wasn't ready to think of Bane as his enemy, but he wasn't going to count on the man to help him either. But family was family.

Bane's voice went low enough that only Eames heightened hearing meant he caught the words.

"I wish you to take care of him."

"Take care of-Blake?"

"Yes."

Given the situation they were in Eames figured he should make sure he understood what he as being asked. "Do you mean that in a protective way or a murdering way? Because the first will have him trying to kill me and the second will have them both trying to kill me."

"If they wanted you dead they'd succeed. You'd be no match for Blake."

"Thank you for that, Darling Cousin. Really feeling the bloody love here."

Pause. "That was not my intention."

Eames laughed. "I know, Bane. And now that we've got your request cleared up I can say yes, I'll do my best to keep an eye on Blake and keep him out of trouble. Not entirely sure how successful I'll be, frankly he might just be more stubborn than Arthur which shouldn't be possible, but I'll give it a go. Uncle of my unborn children and all that."

"Thank you."

And then Bane shocked Eames to the point where the forger had to sit down as his cousin launched into a detailed description of Blake's tells so that he'd know when to be most on his guard or intervene. And when he was done that the normally quiet man moved on to the topic of the other things Eames needed to keep an eye on such as the fact that Blake apparently skipped sleeping far too often and had a bad habit of forgoing health food in favor of sugar or fat laden junk. Eames should also allow Blake to train him while he was staying there so that Eames would be able to do a better job of protecting Blake's back should the need arise.

It also went unsaid, but came through loud and clear, that Bane would kill him if anything happened to Blake while under his care.

"Bane, if you're that worried about him…what the hell are you doing working for the woman who's got him listed as number one on her 'People She'd Like to Disembowel' hit list? Because seriously, Mate, you're making it clear here you'd snap me like a fucking twig if anything happens to him, but they're your people gunning for him."

"He's not at the top of her list. Her father's killer or killers are."

Rolling his eyes over this splitting of hairs Eames thought but didn't say that it wouldn't surprise him at all to learn that the individual or individuals who'd ended Ra's al Ghul, real name highly classified, were currently residing in his house. No one knew what had happened to the man, though all of Bane's pack thought their former leader had been murdered. No body had ever been found, and no one had ever taken credit for the man's possible execution. But no matter how you looked at it the former British spy had been the one to steal a lot of the information that had led to the experiments and compounds in America, and deserved to die for that alone.

He didn't doubt the twins and their fellow hybrids agreed.

But since that sentiment would not be appreciated in the slightest in this case Eames instead pointed out that Bane could protect Blake a lot better than he could.

"I am protecting him."

And with that the line went dead, signaling that Bane had hung up on him.

Putting his phone away automatically Eames remained where he was instead of rejoining the other two, his thoughts on Bane's final words. Had his cousin meant that he planned to work behind the scenes to keep Talia and the rest of their pack away from Blake? Or was it more than that? Could Bane have been implying that he was staying with his own pack because coming over to their side would guarantee Talia would come after them? That if Bane could do what he wanted without consequence he'd be with Blake right now? That Blake might, just might…mean more to Bane to Talia?

Okay, that was probably pushing it, Blake and Bane hadn't been together long and just because he'd never heard his cousin show so much concern for the wellbeing of someone other than Talia before was no reason to jump to conclusions.

But still…what if?

)

Keeping well out of sight, they were cats after all, Blake and Arthur were less than pleased over the fact that Bane had pitched his voice so low that even with their super sensitive hearing they hadn't been able to follow that half of the conversation. Eames hadn't taken the same precautions so they'd caught his side loud and clear, which meant they had some idea on what was being said and discussed though not everything. Frankly they were both surprised that Bane would ask Eames to look after Blake, that was just stupid in both their books, but then Bane was stupid so maybe they shouldn't be surprised. Bane had been dumb enough to give Blake up for Talia after all and believe all of al Ghul's bullshit on top of that. And it was sweet of Eames to offer to keep an eye on him, even if the wolf would fail miserably at the task. But what had been said after Eames's comment about Blake being at the top of Talia's hit list? And would Eames tell them if they asked?

Sharing considering looks the two shrugged in unison and then walked into the room, Arthur taking a seat on Eames's knee while Blake flopped into the seat beside the forger.

"So what did he say after you said I was at the top of Her Nastiness's Hit List?"

"Guess you were never taught that eavesdropping is rude."

"It was actively encouraged." They'd been meant to be spies and assassins, Arthur thought as he ran his fingers through Eames's hair as encouragement to spill his guts.

Well aware of the fact that the stroking was a bribe Eames smiled and answered the question anyway, seeing no reason not to.

When the forger didn't ask them if they knew anything about the death of Talia's father both felines gave him points for not being just a pretty face. It was better, safer for Eames that he knew as few of their secrets as possible. Secrets could be very useful of course, but knowing them could be a real hazard to your health if other people knew that you knew them. And it just so happened that they knew exactly what had happened to Ra's al Ghul, as well as what would happen if the wolves raised by the former spy ever learned what they knew about the man's death.

A change in subject needed, obviously, Blake elbowed Eames lightly in the side. "So exactly how were you thinking to babysit me without me maiming you, exactly?"

"I thought it best if I just stay out of your way as much as humanly possible."

Blake's grin was wide and genuinely charming as hell. "Well aren't you the smart one. You should give that idiot cousin of yours lessons."

"Now that's not something I generally here when it comes to Bane and I."

"Since you're stuck with us you'll be hearing it a lot." Arthur told him before stating that they should get back to their poker playing so that he could get some of his Cheerios back.

"You wish, Darling."

So they all headed back to the table and their Cheerios, Arthur well aware that Bane was front and center in his brother and Eames's minds. Which was why by the time they called it quits he actually did have a decent amount of Cheerios left, Arthur mused as he ate some of his winnings, though his brother had far more since Blake was quite skilled at pushing Bane to the back of his mind and had taken full advantage of Eames's continued mental musings.

Once all Cheerios were eaten or thrown away, and the cards put away for the night after victories were rubbed thoroughly in their opponents' faces, Eames announced that the other two could head on to bed without him. He'd take the first watch and would wake them if necessary. If he could have access to the security system Blake had set up that would be all the better.

The eyebrow Blake raised was very pointed. "I thought you weren't going to try and baby me?"

"Wouldn't dream of it, I assure you. If I was I'd have said I'd watch the place the whole night and just let you catch up on all the sleep you missed out on yesterday. I'll wake you up for your turn, no worries."

"You can take second watch. I like to stay up and that way I can sleep in."

Not about to argue, what would be the point, Eames agreed that that worked too.

While they headed upstairs Eames and Blake discussed when the changing of shift would occur, the latter delighting the former by spider walking up the wall and into the attic since Blake had left it up so that his room wasn't easily accessible to others.

"That was brilliant."

Shaking his head, his brother did love to show off, Arthur decided to focus Eames's attention where it belonged.

"So I believe you made me some offers in the car…."


	15. Skin to Skin

Skin to Skin

Catching on quick Eames grinned and forgot all about admiring Blake's Spiderman skills, following Arthur into their bedroom with his eyes glued to his favorite feline's pretty arse. It had a swing to it currently that boded very well for the night ahead of them. When the door was closed behind them and the bed was in reach Arthur turned to face him, the sorta striptease that followed a pleasure to watch in every way. Not that Arthur was doing anything fancy, he wasn't the type, but he was taking more care and moving slower than normal to give him time to appreciate each removed layer, and he knew it was for his benefit. And remembering well their discussion in the car Eames started planning just where he'd start, prepared when Arthur stood naked in front of him, asking if he wanted him on his back or front.

"Back to start, Darling."

Stripping down to his skin while Arthur stretched out on the bed, Eames set his clothes aside before moving to the foot of the bed, stroking fingers over Arthur's ankle before shifting his hold to bring the foot attached to said ankle up to his lips to place a kiss against a small scar there, asking where it was from.

"Cobol thug."

"Bastard."

And following that theme, just as he'd promised, Eames began to slowly work his way up Arthur's body, giving every scar, no matter how old, a kiss before asking where it had come from, wanting to know everything there was to know about his point man. In some cases Arthur didn't remember, even his genius brain unable to keep track of them all, and those were given extra kisses.

Eames had worked his way up both legs and was kissing Arthur's stomach when something occurred to him, making him pause as he tilted his head up to meet Arthur's heavy lidded gaze. "Is this why you're always wearing suits, and covering up as much as possible? So that the scars don't show?"

Reaching down Arthur slid his fingers into Eames's hair, playing with it a little as he decided how to answer that. "Partly. Identifying marks aren't a good thing to have in our former line of work, and scars are something people remember and ask about which is equally annoying. The other half is just my…need to present myself a certain way. A friend of mine likes to say that I'm a control freak because I had so little growing up."

"No one looks hotter in a suit, Darling, believe me." Eames assured him very gravely, holding the other man's gaze for a moment before grinning evilly and lowering his head to Arthur's stomach to give it a loud raspberry.

Yelping in surprise Arthur couldn't help but laugh, calling Eames's an idiot even as his eyes went soft, knowing that the forger had done it to amuse him in the first place.

Pretending insult over the idiot comment, though really at this point it was a term of endearment given how often Arthur used that particular moniker in relation to him, Eames sniffed and then went back to his kissing, enjoying the way their current positions made him very aware of the way Arthur was starting to squirm for more than just kisses. But there would be none of that until he either couldn't help himself or Arthur talked him into it.

Murmuring Eames's name Arthur was torn between wanting Eames to continue and needing things to progress faster so that they could get to the really good stuff that would lead to climaxes and cuddling. If Eames kept this up he was liable to end up a mushy mess saying all sorts of romantic bullshit that would embarrass him for years to come.

He settled for stating the obvious. "If you try to kiss every mark before you fuck me we're both going to die of frustration."

"You can torture me the same way later if you like."

Liking that idea, especially if you added the tattoos, Arthur was willing to compromise. "Fronts tonight, backs tomorrow."

"Deal."

Sealing the deal with a kiss that went on longer than either of them intended it to, Eames had to force himself to shift his attention to nipping, kissing and sucking on Arthur's neck before moving on to the strong, dependable shoulders he adored so much. From there, as he'd tell Arthur later...well the devil made him suck on each of Arthur's fingers individually after he'd worked his way down each of Arthur's arms to get them out of the way.

"Eames…"

"Even if there are hardly any visible scars there's damage, Arthur." Keeping his tone very serious Eames pointed out that he knew the damage that came with physical training, especially when it came to fighting. The fingers had to have taken a lot of abused and had earned extra attention. From his mouth AND tongue.

"Are you trying to drive me crazy?"

Grinning, Eames let his facial expressions do the talking as he continued to suck, enjoying the little sounds Arthur made in the back of his throat that were half purr, half moan. Talk about your sexy combinations.

"Bastard."

Amused, Eames thought about assuring his darling that his parents had been married at the time of his conception, but decided to stop what he was doing and moved back up Arthur's body to press their lips together in a deep kiss, enjoying the way Arthur's legs immediately came up and around to hold him in place. Then the grinding started and Eames forced himself to break off the kiss, waving a finger in Arthur's face warning.

"Ah, ah, none of that."

"A lot of that if you know what's good for you."

Making a big production of sighing Eames slid his hands lovingly over the thighs wrapped so tightly around him. "Well if I must…I want you on your stomach now." Leaning in the kiss he gave Arthur was rough and left Arthur breathless and glassy eyed. "I did say I'd fuck your brains out after all."

Moaning in appreciation at the very idea of what was to come Arthur lowered his legs and rolled over and onto his stomach as soon as Eames had shifted out of the way, grabbing a pillow to put under him before burying his face in one of the other pillows, his ass up and ready to take whatever Eames wanted to give him.

"Ah, Darling, you have no idea how beautiful you are like this." Running a hand up and down Arthur's spine, circling his favorite little bump that had his man moaning and arching for more, Eames was fairly sure that he could quite happily just look at the picture Arthur made at the moment for days…if it weren't for the fact that it was impossible not to get hard looking at him on display like this.

Wiggling his butt was Arthur's response to that.

Taking the hint Eames gave the pert arse he adored so a light swat and then moved to retrieve the lube and use it on both of them. Thankfully his kitty was impatient as he was, so that he didn't have to feel too guilty about rushing the prep as his fingers somewhat ruthlessly readied Arthur's body for him, spurred on by his man's demands that he hurry and fuck him already.

Ready, oh so ready to do that, Eames growled that it was Arthur's arse that would be sorry later if he wasn't ready to take the plowing it was going to get.

Shifting his head over so that it wasn't buried Arthur's voice was all purr. "Why do you think I like the knotting so much? I feel you inside me for hours afterwards."

Ah…yeah….bye bye higher brain function, hello nothing but an animal's need to claim his mate.

Pulling out his fingers Eames's last rational thought was a thank you God he'd already slicked himself up before he slid into position and claimed what was his in one hard stroke that had them both seeing stars even before he'd grabbed Arthur's shoulders, his fingers digging in hard enough to guarantee bruises before he braced his lower half against the mattress so that he could give his darling exactly what they both wanted as hard and fast as they wanted it.

His darling, his mate.

)

Stretching out on his web bed Blake glanced at his watch, did the math and took out the earplugs that played music low enough that it only provided background noise to help muffle the fact that his brother was having sex in a room below his current quarters. That too had mostly been background noise, but towards the end things had carried just a little too well given that the door to the attic was open and he wanted to keep it that way for quick escape if he needed to.

Eames certainly was a lot more vocal than his cousin.

Judging the show to be over, at least for the time being, Blake turned off his player and set it aside, going back to his mental debate as to whether or not he should call Bane to rip him a new one for even suggesting that Eames look after him. Trying to trip him up that way, by putting Eames in his path, was just low in his opinion and-and-shit, Shit, SHIT!

He wanted to believe that was the case, he really damn did, but Blake knew, in his gut, that that wasn't the reason Bane had asked Eames to look after him.

Most people looked at Bane and saw a born leader. Most people were stupid. Bane wasn't a born leader, he'd been forced into that role and remained in it because he'd been trained and molded for it. Brainwashing from the time you were an infant wasn't easy to throw off, and Bane was truly an alpha male, so in his stupid, bald head he probably thought getting Eames to babysit him was a way to protect him, however poorly. The idiot was trying to take care of him even though they were on the opposite sides of the battle here.

Rolling his eyes, he was determined not to think it misguidedly sweet, Blake tried and failed not to think that Bane had gotten their roles mixed up. It was his job to take care of Bane, not the other way around. Only Arthur was allowed to boss him around and-and he and Bane weren't together anymore and it was going to stay that way so neither of them needed to take care of the other.

Even though he didn't know anyone who needed to be taken care of more than Bane.

Hands clenching into fists, which he released and squeezed rhythmically to rein in his temper, Blake couldn't help but think of how much time he'd wasted being obsessed with Bane over the years.

The para-military organization that had financed the experimentation hadn't trusted The Great Bitch's father, and had recognized that the wolves' first loyalty was to him and not them. That being the case the residents of the Gotham compound had been given all data available on the wolves in case they needed to be exterminated. He and Arthur had been second choice to go after Bane, Quinn never missed after all, but he'd studied the then boy regardless, knowing knowledge was always power. He'd read reports and Bane's essays from his classes, watched recordings of Bane's fights and interactions with other members of his pack. When his interest in Bane had started to shift he hadn't understood it, it was the doctors that had tipped him off ironically. They'd liked to do brain scans and during one experiment, showing him pictures to see how he reacted to them, his brain had registered sexual interest when shown an image of Bane. He'd been just as surprised as them when they'd told him, though it had been of some relief to have a name for the unfamiliar feelings Bane had started inspiring in him.

Of course that had caused all new problems as he'd tried to wrap his head around the idea that he wanted to have sex with a teenager who even then had basically made up two of him. Unlike the average twelve year old he'd long ago been briefed about homosexual practices due to Crane's plans to breed him, so he'd had a pretty good idea what happened and had quick frankly freaked at the idea. He'd gotten older of course, and wiser about what he wanted. Why he wanted Bane and how he wanted him. And for years after he'd figured those things out he'd wondered, speculated, as to whether or not the real Bane was anything like the man he'd made him to be in his head. If his own psychoanalysis of Bane from all the data he'd collected was right.

Now he knew the answer to those questions, and was left with the bitter conclusion he couldn't seem to escape even though he'd deny it to his dying breath.

Yes, Bane was just the match for him. But would never be his. The idiot.

)

The next day, after lunch, Arthur and Blake decided to veg out in front of the television for a while, Eames leaving them to it while he finished a forgery of the paper kind for a friend. It would be one of his last planned illegal acts and he intended for it to be perfect. So the twins were happy to cuddle up together on the couch watching 'The Lion King', and had just gotten to the scene where Scar informed the hyenas of his plan to kill Mufasa and Simba when Eames came down the stairs and over to them, Blake pausing the DVD.

"You're watching 'The Lion King'?"

The twins sent him identical looks that promised extreme pissy-ness if he dared malign one of their favorite Disney movies. Better than most they knew the countless studies that had been done about outside sources affecting babies in the womb, and therefore had decided to watch something kid appropriate that they could enjoy watching together.

"All right then, forget I commented. On to my reason for coming down. Bane just called and asked for permission to come and visit. Thoughts?"

"What does he want?" Arthur asked.

"To talk to Blake. He had some other bullshit reasons, but I'm pretty sure that that's his main goal. He said Talia doesn't know he's coming here, if that makes a difference."

Neither brother was naïve enough to believe that Bane wasn't perfectly capable of lying to Eames, he probably did it all the time. And while both were willing to agree that Eames wasn't easily fooled, even by family, the conversation had been over the phone and Bane had been trained to lie since he was a child. Still, odds were Bane really did just want to talk and it could prove informative depending on the topics of conversation.

None of this was spoken aloud, it didn't need to be as the two brothers looked at each other and thought exactly the same things. And when they'd come to the same conclusions they nodded and then turned to look at Eames, stating that Bane could come.

"It's going to be bloody brilliant if our twins can do that, talk to each other like that. Except when they're plotting against us." Obviously torn over whether to like the idea now or not Eames told them to go ahead with their movie watching, he'd call Bane back and then head down to meet his cousin, escort him up and make sure his visit was on the up and up.

Blake gave his brother's lover a considering look. "Take Salar with you for protection."

"Just for that I\m going to tell him you've been pining for him terrible."

And on that note Eames headed out of the room, pulling his cellphone out as he went.

"His ass moves very nicely when he's insulted."

"It does, doesn't it."

Grinning at each other the brothers went back to watching their movie, enjoying it as per usual right up until the scene where Simba finds his father dead after the fall and being trampled by the wildebeests. A sad scene, certainly, but to their mutual surprise and horror Arthur found himself actually crying, and he NEVER cried. And he couldn't tell his brother why he was crying, so that set Blake off into a panic because he didn't know how to handle his brother being an emotional mess because that just wasn't how Arthur was.

It took longer than it probably should have, and a lot of hugging and hair stroking, but eventually they clued into the fact that this was probably the result of pregnancy hormones. Which they both decided they hated as much as the actual crying they didn't know how to deal with.

The movie turned off, belatedly, Blake continued to rub Arthur's back as he grumbled over the fact that Eames wasn't around. The Brit would actually be useful right about now.

"I…I wouldn't want him to see me like this. Dammit!" Cursing in a number of languages Arthur kept rubbing his eyes, furious at the thought that they were probably turning red and puffy. "I need a distraction, something to take my mind off-"

He motioned towards the movie screen, not wanting to put into words what had set him off since it might make him cry harder.

"Okay, a different movie then, something funny and where nobody meets an untimely end that doesn't deserve it." Mentally reviewing all the movies he had saved on his computer Blake was actually a little surprised to realize how many Disney movies contained parent/child moments that could possibly set his brother off. Bambi's mother shot, the majority of the main characters only having one parent which meant the other had been killed off somehow, Rapunzel being kidnapped from her parents….wow. Talk about messed up.

"We'll watch 'Bolt'!" Blake decided, accessing that movie on his laptop with fingers that were almost as speedy at the keyboard as his brother's. "Somewhat dumb dog, super smart and sarcastic cat, and a hamster with delusions of grandeur. It'll have your hormones bitch slapped into submission in no time."

A laugh from Arthur confirmed just that.


	16. Cuddle Time

Cuddle Time

After talking to Salar so that the wolf would know who was coming and why, Eames walked down the beaten path to the main road, waiting there for his cousin to arrive. Bane didn't keep him waiting long, which suggested the other man had been calling him from nearby which didn't surprise him in the slightest. Raising a hand in greeting Eames stayed where he was, his eyes watchful and wary as Bane came towards him. Not that he thought his cousin was here to cause trouble, his gut said that it was all about Blake with Bane, but when a guy could literally break your back over his knee if he wanted to, it just made sense to tread cautiously. Especially since his cousin worked for a homicidal crazy woman that wanted the brother of his lover very dead, Eames mentally added.

"Do you want to frisk me before letting me enter?" He didn't have any weapons on him other than his body, which was his preferred 'weapon' anyway.

"If you were Talia and I had to let her in then yes, as much as the idea of feeling her up turns my stomach. But you're more of a kill with your hands sort and Blake's never going to let you shag him if you cause his brother or me bodily harm so I think we're good."

Bane's tone revealed nothing when he stated that Blake had made it clear there would never be a sexual component to their relationship ever again.

"And you're just going to roll over and play dead? Seriously? If it weren't for the resemblance I'd question us being blood relatives, Mate. High maintenance guys like our cats? They're the sort that regularly kick you out of their beds just for the fun of watching you crawl back to them. So take my bloody advice and crawl, Bane. The make-up sex will be more than worth it."

"I don't crawl."

"You want him, you're gonna have to learn. Just be glad yours isn't as bad as mine."

That statement had interest coming into Bane's eyes, he couldn't help it. "How so?" Because he couldn't see how things could get much worse short of his kitten having sex with someone right in front of him before he snapped the other guy's neck like a twig.

"Well Blake's right pissed at you and is showing it by tormenting you sexually. Arthur gives you frostbite. I'd take the smoldering looks and flashes of skin over that any day. And again, sticking with the cat I have so stop with the death glares. Blake's arse belongs to you if you get your head out of your own."

Toning down the glare, though it wasn't easy given that final comment, Bane spoke with blunt honesty since he knew his cousin well enough to know the man wouldn't drop the subject easily. "I'm not like you. I don't understand the-dynamics of this sort of warfare."

Warfare. That was apt, Eames silently admitted as he motioned for Bane to walk with him towards the house, thinking about his answer as his cousin fell into step beside him. "Does Talia care, remotely, about your happiness?"

"What does she have to do with anything?"

"Everything, since she all but shoved you into the dog house in the first place. When you care about someone you want them to be happy, even if it's somewhat at your expense. If Blake is what you want then she should care enough for you to suck it up. And yes, you're thinking that you care enough for her to do without Blake…but I've never seen you truly happy, not once in all these years. If he can make you happy then you need to move before he moves on. And guys like him, they move on, Bane. They do take rejection by lying down, literally. With someone else on top of them because there are plenty of someone elses who'd kill for the privilege." That was a bit of a stretch so to speak, but he figured Bane's jealousy could work in their favor.

The words were out of Bane's lips before he could stop them. "He doesn't allow others to top him."

Eames would have done a face plant into rock and vegetation if Bane hadn't caught him in time. As Bane literally set him back down on his feet Eames stared at him in dumbstruck silence. Arthur had said that Blake was a top, yes, but he'd just thought-figured-that Blake occasionally made exceptions in that area because the idea of someone of Bane's size and alpha dog nature being topped by anyone was just….so mindboggling he couldn't even picture it. Which was probably for the best but still…mindboggling.

"He said I was the only one he'd let-twice." Bane could feel his cheeks heating up and was actually thankful for his mask. Sexual relations was not something he was used to discussing when it applied to him.

"Okay…huh. Yeah…let's never speak of this again. They're twins."

Understanding perfectly, the sight of his cousin being so-connected to his Arthur, who looked so much like Blake, had given him some bad moments as well.

"Just uhm-out of curiosity…are you normally a bottom or…?"

"He's the only man I've ever has sexual relations with."

"Alright then. Good to know. I'll-uhm…give you some books or we can talk, some…I'll suck it up so forget what I said before. If you can get back into his good books, I mean."

Wisely Bane opted not to state the fact that those talks or books would be largely unnecessary since Blake expected complete and total obedience in the bedroom, and had no problem whatsoever demanding what he wanted and how he wanted it. It was one of the things he found most-appealing about his kitten. When they'd been together Blake had taken every weight off his shoulders, forced him to think of nothing but him, and it had been…freedom. A true…brief taste of it.

And wanting to think of something other than what he'd lost, as well as being genuinely curious, Bane asked if Eames thought less of him now.

"What do you-the bottoming thing? Hell no, though I'm right impressed with Blake at the moment while blocking out all mental images. My Darling's a bottom, isn't he, and he's the living definitely of mean and dangerous when he's riled. I might top him, but he's the boss of me and we both fucking well know it."

"He and his brother have that in common then."

"And we wouldn't want them any other way." Eames summed up with a slap to Bane's back that the man probably barely felt; if at all.

Having arrived at the house on that positive, cousinly note, the two took the steps up to the porch where Salar was standing guard, the man shifting to military erectness as Bane approached him. He might no longer be a part of the man's pack, but decades of training were damn hard to break.

Technically speaking he shouldn't talk to Salar, the man's choices treason to the pack's way of thinking, but Bane understood why the other wolf had made the choices he had made. And more…those choices meant that Salar would be here to protect Blake if necessary. He trusted his former soldier's ability to keep his feline alive a lot more than his cousin's, though he knew both would die for Blake if need be.

"Salar."

Eyes widening noticeably Salar swallowed hard and then nodded his head. "Alpha."

"I'm not the alpha you serve now. You will protect your current one to the best of the abilities I've installed in you."

"Yes…Sir."

The two shared another nod and then it was time for Eames and Bane to step inside to find their bossy kittens, leaving Salar behind to continue watching over the house and its occupants.

)

The two bossy kittens in question were waiting for them on the couch, Arthur looking fairly normal now thanks to the cold cloth Blake had gotten for him to help even out his color. Thankfully he hadn't teared up enough to do significant damage, and they looked relaxed and unruffled when the Eames cousins strolled into the room. The felines kept their eyes on the screen as they got to their feet in unison, Blake decreeing that Bane was to sit his ass on his side of the couch and Eames was to do the same on Arthur's side.

There was the expected pause, silly boys, but then they did as they'd been ordered and separated to take either side of the couch, sitting down on cue. And as planned Blake took his seat in Bane's lap, sideways so his feet were facing the middle of the couch, Arthur doing the same on the other side.

Wrapping one arm around his Bane's neck, Blake grabbing the hand closest to his brother and laced his ex's fingers with his own as he brought their joined hands up to press against his side.

"Well this is-unexpected." Eames was clearly confused over the seating arrangement.

But, Blake thought smugly as Bane spoke up, his former lover was not.

"His hand's on my throat so that he can rip it open with his claws if need be. He took my hand to insure I can't grab his brother easily. Moving the other hand to attempt the same thing would give him enough warning to stop me, and Arthur time to go on the offensive."

"Ah."

Feeling sorry for his man, it wasn't his fault he hadn't been trained to kill people since birth, Arthur snuggled in, opting not to wrap an arm around Eames's neck given the imagery Bane had just placed in the forger's head.

"So what happened to 'The Lion King'?" Eames asked to change the subject, motioning towards the new movie still playing out on screen.

"We decided, in honor of Bane's visit, to watch something more appropriate." Having kept the controller in his free hand Blake pointed it at the screen to restart the movie from the beginning. "You can tell us what's up after it. Watching it will do you good."

The twins mentally agreed that Bane was smart in not arguing, settling in against their respective seats and turned their attention to the movie, not betraying for a moment how aware they were of every breath anyone took. Bane was the same.

But then something unexpected started to happen, creeping up on Blake so that he wasn't even aware of what his treacherous body was doing. Naturally he was aware of how good it felt to be so close to Bane again, the animal side of him wanting to rub against all that delicious muscle and transfer that scent onto his skin again, maybe bury his face in Bane's neck to breathe that scent and nothing else in. The warmth Bane was giving off was intoxicating too, bringing back memories he desperately wanted to revisit in the flesh but knew he couldn't. All those things and reactions he'd been expecting, and he knew how his body was when it came to Bane, but what he'd failed to factor in was the fact that he had barely slept in the past three days, unable to count on Eames to be able to adequately protect his brother no matter what his brother's lover had said. And while normally he could get by on little to no sleep, he'd been globetrotting all over the damn place the last few weeks and all those factors…

To Arthur's shock, he watched his brother suddenly go from awake to dead asleep between one breath and the next, turning in his unconscious state so that he was actually cuddling against Bane now instead of being in position to rip his jugular open.

And when Arthur looked up to see Bane's reaction, the look on the man's face had him deciding not to wake his brother up. Blake needed the rest, and even in the deepest of sleep Blake would wake up aware of his surroundings and prepared to kill if necessary. And strictly speaking, if Bane had to be killed by one of them it would be better if he was the one who did it anyway.

"It's alright, Luv." Eames whispered his ear, nuzzling against him. "He's gone over your brother."

"He can hear you."

"I won't harm him."

Eames looked back and forth between the two of them warily. "Just how good are your hearing, exactly?"

Bane and Arthur shrugged, both stating, one after another, that they hadn't had that tested since they were in their compounds. It made sense that their hearing had improved as they'd matured.

Since Eames didn't want to question them more about their 'super powers' as he put it, the three turned this attention to watching the movie, Blake remaining fast asleep and appearing quite happy to remain where he was, snuggled up against Bane. From time to time the three glanced in the direction of their sleeping companion to see how he was doing, the blissed out expression on Blake's face making it clear to them that there was nowhere the man would rather be then right where he was.

And then the movie was over and Arthur gave a short, distinct whistle.

In a flash Blake was upright, eyes open, secondary claws out and ready to kick ass.

"You fell asleep." Arthur informed him while Bane wisely didn't move and Eames gaped at his lover's brother like a landed fish. A cute landed fish, but a fish nonetheless.

It took a moment for Blake to understand, but when he did his cheeks went bright with embarrassment, his ears standing out even more than normal as they too went red. It was pretty frickin adorable, actually, but everyone was wise enough not to say so.

"Why didn't you wake me before?"

"Because you needed the sleep." Arthur answered in a language he knew neither of the other two men would understand. "And because he would never hurt you. I could see it in his eyes."

Blake thought about pointing out that there were plenty of ways to hurt someone without ever taking a hand to them, but saw no reason to bother. His brother knew that as well as he did. And yes, it would have been the height of stupidity for Bane to have tried anything…but smart people did incredibly dumb things all the time whether they wanted to admit it or not. Bane had chosen Talia over him after all.

So instead he opted to tough it out, forcing a cocky smirk on his face as he turned to look at Bane. "So did you like the movie?"

"I found the cat's statement that all cats wish they were dogs to be thought-provoking."

Blake whacked Bane upside the head and told him to go chase a stick.

"Would you like me to find you a ball of yarn, instead?"

"No….." Drawling it out Blake pretended to consider the possibilities, but really he already knew. "I think I want you to carry me to the guest room so that I can finish my nap. You can tell me why you're here as my bedtime story. Unless you'd rather stay down here and talk with your cousin and my brother, up to you."

By way of answering Bane sat up, shifting his hold as Blake moved as well to get into a better position to be carried princess style, the claws retracted before he wrapped his arms around Bane's neck.

"Well you two have fun." Eames's smirk was downright cheeky. "You could probably use a nap too, Cous."

Blake smirked at him while Bane gave his cousin a dark look.

Arthur simply nodded goodbye to his brother, trusting that he could handle himself easily enough.

So on that note Bane headed out with Blake in his arms, Eames and Arthur turning on the couch to watch them go.

)

As they headed up towards the bedrooms, he'd visited the house before and knew where he was going, Bane considered asking Blake what he was up to, but decided against it. It wasn't like he would get a straight answer anyway, and the silence was enjoyable in that they weren't fighting or trading barbed comments. Not that he didn't enjoy seeing his kitten all riled up, Blake was unspeakably adorable and cute when his fur was metaphorically ruffled, but given the very low chance of make-up sex Bane couldn't say he wished to argue.

"You're a lot quieter than your cousin."

"From what I've observed Eames enjoys talking and learning about people. It's what makes him such a talented forger." Unlike the majority of their 'family' he knew what Eames did for a living. He found the idea itself fascinating, and Eames had offered to show him what it was like, but the alterations made to his body made it unwise for him to introduce new chemicals into his system if he didn't have to.

"He's pretty loud in the sack too. I could hear him and Arthur going at it like bunnies last night."

It was sheer training and natural grace that had Bane not missing the next step on the stairs, the laughter that burst out of Blake's mouth making it clear the other man had caught his near stumble even with the fluidity of his recovery.

"God you're so fucking adorable sometimes." Blake gave the side of Bane's head a smacking kiss. "Did I offend you?" He inquired, adding a British accent to his words to sound all hoity-toity about it.

"I doubt your brother would appreciate you eavesdropping."

"Eavesdropping? Super hearing, remember? You remember how loud I can get too, don't you?"

"I remember."

Arriving at the top of the stairs Bane headed for the guestroom without saying anything else, stepping into the small space and, after a moment, stated that this wasn't where Blake normally slept. His scent wasn't heavy enough in the room.

He'd stretched out on the bed a few times to leave some of his scent on the sheets, not wanting to give his main location in the house away to unexpected guests, but he wasn't surprised that Bane had seen through the ploy. Not a big deal though, Blake mused, since there was plenty of ways for the wolves to determine the location of everyone in the house before heading in.

"No, I'm in the attic, but I don't think you'd fit through my current door at the moment. Though if you want to try and get into my web…who am I to argue?"


	17. Let's Get Physical

Let's Get Physical

When Bane stated that he wanted to see his web and stepped out of the room to highlight his decision, Blake just shrugged and then shifted around in the other man's arms so that he could point towards the currently closed door to the attic behind them. Once Bane had said door open and the ladder down to allow him to get up, Blake insisted on being let go since there was no way Bane could carry him through the small opening, especially since he wasn't a hundred percent sure Bane could get through period. So Blake went up first and then stood in front of hole in the floor to watch and see if Bane could manage to follow him without getting stuck, the grin on his face making it quite clear he'd be delighted if Bane couldn't manage it.

It wasn't easy, and it took some serious shoulder maneuvering, but Bane finally made his way into the attic, Blake giving him a round of applause just to be a brat.

"My web." Blake announced once Bane was facing in the right direction, gesturing in said web's direction like he was a model showing off a prize to an audience. "And don't freak out over the fact that Eames's scent all over it, the idiot thinks it's the most brilliant thing ever and was playing on it after breakfast." He smirked. "Arthur and I were embarrassed for him on his behalf."

Though it had been sort of cute and adorable too.

Shaking his head Bane didn't bother to comment on the maturity or lack thereof when it came to his cousin, instead approaching the huge web that looked like a large version of an ordinary spider's web except for the pillow and blankets, the former apparently webbed into place so that it would stay put.

Having had an up close and not at all pleasant encounter with his kitten's webbing before ,Bane carefully tested out the silky strands that formed the web, finding it not at all sticky like the sort he'd had to fight his way out of. Because this had had time to dry so to speak, or could Blake control the consistency of the webbing somehow, Bane wondered, those and many other questions occurring to him as he studied the entire structure.

"It's beautiful." Was all he actually said, turning around to meet Blake's gaze.

"You can actually get on it, you know. I reinforced it more than usual in case you decided to pay me a visit."

Trusting that the other man knew what he was talking about, as well as extremely curious, Bane very carefully set a knee on the web, finding it both supporting and not. It didn't feel like there was anything there, yet there was and his limb somehow knew that. Placing his hands above his knee Bane shifted up and then down so that he was lying on the blankets, then rolled over so that he was resting on his back. The feeling of both floating and being supported at the same time remained, and Bane couldn't help but smile behind his mask at the contradictory sensations. Either way this was probably the closest thing to flying he'd get without mechanical help and he liked it.

And then Blake was joining him on the web, crawling his way up his body with a pleased look in his eyes before the little tease settled against him, the dyed hair Bane didn't like one little bit brushing against the underside of his jaw as Blake snuggled up against him like his kitten intended to have that nap he'd mentioned earlier.

Carding the fingers of one hand into the dyed blond strands, while the other slid under the hem of Blake's shirt to rest against the other man's back, Bane kept his tone conversational as he asked when Blake was going to remove the dye from his hair.

"I'm not. Removing it, that is. I'll let it grow out a little more and then lop it all off. Buzz it maybe."

"I prefer you with hair."

"Yeah, well I prefer you naked and under me, begging for it while I fuck your brains out. We can't always have what we want, now can we, Sweetie?"

Ignoring the insulting nickname, he got that he was currently in Blake's very bad books and that the feline was deliberately trying to piss him off, Bane instead slid his hand a little lower, deliberately circling the stub of what had once been his kitten's tail.

"Well, well. Is that you're way of saying I can have what I want?" Arching into the teasing caress, Blake purred his words as he shifted so that he was sitting up, looking down at Bane questioningly. "See something you want bad enough to beg for, Bane?"

Making no move to stop him Bane allowed Blake to reach down and undo the straps that held his mask in place, watching the other man set it aside before leaning in close enough that they were sharing air, Bane almost able to taste Blake's lips as his kitten purred a 'hmmm?'.

"I'm not going to beg." He had his pride, if nothing else.

"I see." Grasping the hem of his shirt Blake pulled it up and over his head, tossing it off to the side before turning his attention back to Bane. "Well then, I guess I can give you a little taste…to remind you of what you're missing before you go."

He gave him more than a taste too, but not nearly enough. For either of them.

)

Cuddling up on the couch together downstairs, both hoping that they would neither see nor hear anything from the upper floors that they didn't want to, Arthur and Eames did their best to not think about anything related to their relatives and concentrated instead on discussing whatever topic came to mind, from what they were going to have for dinner to how Arthur was sure he was never going to touch another banana or a spoonful of peanut butter ever again after this pregnancy. Both were going to be banned from the house. This of course lead to a discussion on how it wasn't fair for Arthur to deny their children those snack foods, but Arthur was of the opinion that having to get fat and sick on their behalf meant their future twins owed him big, and they'd just have to suck the lack of both foods up.

Amused, no doubt a lot of this was the pregnancy hormones talking after all, Eames just gave up and chuckling, kissed the top of Arthur's head.

"Oh you think I'm being funny, do you?"

"I think you're practically perfect in every way, Darling."

"I'm fat. My clothes don't fit and there's no point in buying ones that would fit because I just keep getting fatter. At this point the only designer clothes I can stand to wear now are your dress shirts and that's only the ones someone supervised you buying or bought for you." On a side note Arthur muttered under his breath that knowing his luck their children would inherit Eames's love of ugly clothes and then he'd have three of them on his hands, offending his eyes at every glance.

"Would it help at all if I assured you that you look damn sexy in my dress shirts?"

"I looked sexier in them before I started looking like I swallowed a beach ball." Was Arthur's bitter response to that.

"Oh you're not that big yet." Eames protested, patting Arthur's belly affectionately. "You're likely to get there, yes, but right now it's more of a basketball."

"I did bring my guns with me, you know that, right?"

"Ah. Yes. Maybe I-Blake-should hold onto those for you, just while you're up the duff and all. Pregnancy hormones, as I've learned from my sisters, can make even the nicest of person go rather mad. And you're not exactly known for being nice to me to begin with, Darling, particularly when you're cross and feeling moody."

Silence followed for two very nerve-wracking moments for Eames before Arthur nodded his head and admitted that that might be a good idea.

"Thank you, Darling."

There was a hint of amusement in Arthur's voice now as he teasingly nipped Eames's ear. "Control freaks shouldn't get pregnant."

"You're not a control freak, Luv. You just like things a certain way."

"No, I am." Pause. "It's because of the compound really. I-I didn't have any control there, at least in the beginning. They told us when to get up and go to sleep, what to wear and eat and-not having any control over your life is one of the worst feelings to have, especially when it's your normal. So when we got out-I control as much of my world as I can, and get bitchy when I can't. Blake doesn't care so much, it affected him differently."

"How protective he is of you, for instance."

"Yeah, for one. He-he can make people think they're the best of friends but really, in reality, they have no idea who he is and he would be fine if he never saw them again. Because when someone matters to him, really matters, he's darker, more controlling and possessive. Not in an automatically bad way-but there are very few lines he wouldn't cross to keep us safe and with him."

He was a little afraid to ask, given what he had seen in his cousin's eyes, but Eames figured he better before he stuck his nose into the relationship between Bane and Blake. "Does Bane truly matter, or has your brother just made him think he does?"

Shifting so that he was straddling Eames's lap, Arthur rubbed his hands up and down Eames's chest thoughtfully, obviously thinking about his words and the complicated workings of his brother's brain.

"He matters. But Blake is never going to admit outloud, much less to himself how much. Talia's too much of a threat to the people he does admit to loving, and if Talia sends him to kill us, Blake has to be able to kill him without hesitation. Though if that happens, I hope he's not the one who has to do it."

"I'd kill him to protect you and the little ones."

Leaning forward Arthur gave him a kiss to comfort them both. "I know."

Leaving it at that they went back to cuddling on the couch, neither saying a word as Arthur cat napped a little in Eames's arms, the forger quiet as he considered the situation they found themselves in and started formulating new game plans for possible situations they might find themselves in. More Arthur's thing, true, but for now he was going to have to step up his game, for everyone's sake.

It was about a half an hour later that Arthur shifted up to a sitting position again, informing him that the other two were coming back downstairs.

Trusting that Arthur knew what he was talking about, there were seriously no words for how brilliant the bond between his darling and Blake was, Eames helped Arthur up and off the couch, and then linking their fingers headed out of the room with him, the goal apparently to meet their respective family members at the front door.

)

That Blake was shirtless when they met up had Eames lifting an eyebrow as he smirked, though inwardly he was thankful that there wasn't anything on view that suggested what the two had been up to. He was still adjusting to what he did know about their sex life after all. But other than the lack of shirt on Blake's part, and the fact that he could smell one on the other, you'd never have thought they'd gotten up to anything but fighting, especially since Bane did not look like he'd just enjoyed a quickie. It would only be apparent to someone who made a study of people's faces, their mannerisms, expressions and tells, but Eames was willing to bet good money Bane was mad about something.

Trying to get a fix on things Eames turned his attention to Blake, asking him if he realized he'd forgotten his shirt.

"I didn't forget; I don't need it. I've got plans with Salar."

Ah, there was a possible cause of Bane's mood, especially since it was obvious from Blake's tone of voice that he was deliberately hinting that there was a sexual element to his plans with Salar even though it went without saying that the two couldn't be less interested in each other that way. And since Eames had a pretty good idea what Blake's plans actually were… "Planning to start that special training you mentioned last night? To whip him into shape and all that?"

Rather than look annoyed with him for trying to tip Bane off Blake just smirked a little at Eames. "That is the plan, yeah."

"He doesn't need to be trained. He was one of my best."

"That's not really saying much, Sweetie."

While Eames struggled to hide his reaction to the fact that his cousin had just been called such a ridiculously adorable nickname, Bane scowled behind his mask over the use of it while they weren't alone.

"Eames, why don't you walk Bane down to the main road. While you do that we can set up out back and be ready by the time you get back." Arthur did not want to deal with bruised male egos at the moment, especially when his fucking hormones were so out of whack he might be tempted to get a gun to enforce his will. He could see that Eames wanted to play wing man to his cousin here, but it was definitely not the time or the place.

"Yeah, that would probably be for the best. Ready to go, Cousin?"

Bane took a moment to think about that before nodding, his eyes going over to Blake as he lifted a hand to give the other man's head a short caress. "Stay out of trouble."

"Ahh, but I love trouble, you know that." Fisting his hand in Bane's shirt Blake jerked on it and then leaned in to place a kiss against the cool metal of Bane's mask. "But if you want me to find it with someone else…well I suppose while I'm here I can find myself another puppy to play with."

"Then you won't have him very long. Good day, Arthur."

And on that note Bane headed out the door, Eames hurrying after him since it was probably in everyone's best interests if he did make sure Bane was in a slightly better mood by the time he left the property. Both Eames men heard Arthur ask Blake if that had really been necessary, but Blake's response was either too low for them to hear or he hadn't responded verbally.

Either way Eames thought it wise not to say anything until they were a decent enough distance from his house that he was reasonable sure that the occupants wouldn't be able to hear him. He asked Bane about that, just in case.

"If you keep your voice low it should be fine. What did you wish to discuss?"

"You-ah, aren't going to do anything to Salar, are you? Because that was Blake just being a prick-"

"You'd be wise not to insult him in my presence."

"Okay…got it." The death glare he'd just been given, Eames was pretty sure it would live on in his nightmares for years. "What I meant to say was…you know what I'm asking."

Bane nodded. "I was merely giving him the response he wanted. I know Salar wouldn't touch him, nor would Blake want him to. He hides behind his cheap shots and innuendos, hoping I won't see what's underneath."

"And what's underneath?"

"None of your business. But thank you…for your concern on my behalf." Bane tacked the last part on, the rest awkward but genuinely meant.

"You're welcome."

The rest of the walk down to the road was in silence, Eames mentally comparing the situation his cousin found himself in to that of the most famous star crossed lovers, Romeo and Juliet, which really didn't bode well for any of them, unfortunately, given how that very bloody play had ended. Bane's mind, meanwhile, replayed ever touch and kiss he'd gotten early, when he'd allowed himself to be lured into Blake's web. Words were easy to speak, after all, and often full of lies and half-truths. The way Blake's hands and mouth had touched his body had said things too, and he was going to believe them instead of what Blake had said to him afterwards.

His kitten still cared about him. He could be satisfied with that.

Once they reached the road Eames gave Bane a one armed hug, surprised and pleased when the other man actually returned it. He hadn't seen that coming.

"I'll do my best to keep him out of trouble, Bane."

"Not an easy task."

"Ahhh, I have years of experience, dealing with Arthur. Though handling the both of them will be a bit of a challenge, I'll grant you. Especially what with the pregnancy hormones and all making Arthur potentially ten times more dangerous than normal. That has me a bit concerned."

Lips twitching with amusement Bane's voice held a hint of sympathetic humor. "Then I wish you luck."

"Thanks. I'll need it, obviously."

)

The space they cleared wasn't that big really, but it would suit their purposes so to speak and that was the main thing. Eames sat side by side with Arthur on the back porch, the latter wearing a blanket around him since Eames had nagged him into it for the babies' sake. This was the direct opposite of Blake and Salar, who were both shirtless and now facing off in the middle of the clearing, preparing to go mano-a-mano.

As it turned out, one of the reasons why Blake had been eager to get Bane's scent all over him was because he wanted to get Salar used to seriously fighting against someone that smelled like his former pack. That he smelled other and would be trying to seriously injury Salar would hopefully get it into the wolf's head that he shouldn't trust anyone who smelled even remotely like wolf unless he had a damn good reason to think otherwise.

Salar was skeptical, but willing to humor Blake.

Looking at them objectively, based on height and body mass, you'd have thought that Blake wouldn't be much of a threat, especially since at the start Blake had stated that claws and teeth were not to be used on either side. But yeah, while they watched and Blake's iPad blasted music….Blake totally wiped the garden with the shocked dumb wolf, displaying a speed and agility that made up for any physical short comings he might have.

Cat rule and dog drooled. Repeatedly. Until Blake finally let up and Arthur and Eames gave Salar, who had a whole new respect for his 'alpha' some much needed medical attention.

)

Note: Sorry to cut it short with Blake and Bane, but they won't get any serious action until the planned sequel to this fanfic, which will focus on them instead.


	18. A Small Bump

A Small Bump

Since they weren't completely heartless, not to mention possessing healthy egos of their own, both Blake and Arthur felt a little bad for Salar by the end of the week. The poor little wolf was going home every day with his metaphoric tail between his legs, the other man utterly bewildered as to how he could keep getting owned so completely. Of course the answer to that question was multilayered, but the most obvious answer was the fact that Arthur and Blake had, quite literally, been trained to kill Salar. The heads of the paramilitary organization who'd created them had planned to exterminate the wolves if they couldn't take control of them away from al Ghul, and so all the members of the Gotham Compound had not only studied the fighting style taught to the wolves by al Ghul, but had been watching footage of each individual wolf's fighting abilities since said wolf started training. Ergo they could anticipate every move Salar made because they knew how to read the other man's body and his preferred moves like they had precognition. It helped too, that since they'd been taken away from their compound and brought to England the wolves had zealously held on to al Ghul's teachings rather than expand their fighting repertoires, a major mistake on their part.

Because the members of the Gotham compound, on the other hand, were always on the lookout for new styles and disciplines to learn and adapt into their own repertoires. Al Ghul had raised the wolves with his own skewed moral code, while the hybrids of Gotham hadn't been raised with morals period. Destroy their enemies as quickly and efficiently as possible by any means necessary. That was about it.

As they didn't want to destroy Salar, they were actually starting to like him, actually, Blake was going to stop kicking the man's ass soon and start retraining him so that he was actually useful to them. They just wanted to make sure the lesson the wolf was being taught sunk in.

Their precious Ra's Al Ghul had not taught him all he needed to know. Not remotely.

And of course watching all these bouts had made Eames wanted to take some lessons too, since what he saw pretty much jammed it down his throat that he wouldn't stand a chance in hell against either of them and that just wouldn't do. He had no intention of being cannon fodder if they were attacked by Bane's pack, and the idea that he'd be more of a hindrance than a help started eating at him pretty quick. So while Arthur patched Salar up as per usual at the end of their 'sparring', Blake turned his attention to teaching Eames a thing or two since it would take a while to get the forger up to Salar's level of competency.

This of course meant that Arthur had to play medic again for the father of his children later.

On one such occasion, Eames sprawled out on their bed while Arthur straddled him and carefully leaned forward to rub ointment into Eames's very strained and battered shoulders, which was not an easy task when your stomach was getting bigger by the day, Arthur did his best to sooth his man's poor, battered ego.

"I'm getting better though, right? Lie to me if you must, Darling. My ego needs the balm more than my sodding shoulders."

Chuckling, Arthur assured him that he was indeed doing better.

"You're just humoring me, aren't you?"

Carefully leaning forward more Arthur placed a chaste kiss against the bottom of Eames's neck. "No, I'm not. When do I ever humor you, Mr. Eames? You have an advantage over Salar that's starting to shine through."

"And that is…?"

"You're a human forger, Eames. You learn more from observing people than some can get even with one on one training. You watch Blake and Salar spar and you're already starting to put what you've learned from that into practice. Salar's been training pretty much every day of his life since he became trainable, when was the last time you seriously devoted any chunk of time to that sort of thing?"

"Darling, it would be a sad day for me when I have nothing better to do with my time then constantly train the way those poor blokes have to in Bane's bloody pack. But I get your point." Pause. "Are you as lethal as he is, in a fight?" He'd never seen Arthur in action in person, only in dreams. And fighting in dreams was a whole other ball game, especially for people like the two of them, who had to take extra precautions since their minds weren't wired the way normal people's were.

"In hand to hand combat he's the tougher opponent." But he was actually more lethal than Blake, just in another way.

Eames considered this for a moment. "And if I get as good as him will I get lots and lots of sex as a reward?"

"No, since I'd die from the shock if you ever got that good."

It was Eames's turn to chuckle before he stated that that wouldn't be good.

"Quite."

Both lapsed into comfortable silence as Arthur went back to rubbing and Eames concentrated on enjoying the strong, infinitely talented hands digging into his muscles and petting him, minutes passing before Arthur suddenly went tense, Eames rolling in one smooth so that he was on his back as he asked in a low voice what was wrong, just as tense and ready to move as soon as Arthur was off him.

Rather than answer Arthur grabbed one of Eames's hands and slid it under his jumper, placing it against the side of his rounded stomach.

And knowing instinctively what was going on Eames went dead still, not moving a muscle or even breathing as he waited with every ounce of concentration focused on the skin beneath his hand.

It wasn't a kick by any means, but more of a nudge through the skin that lasted only a moment before subsiding, both his or her parents waiting patiently for it to come again. Another came a couple minutes later, and then that was it, it seemed, for the time being.

Grinning like mad Eames and Arthur stared at each other and Arthur's stomach, staying that way for a long while before they just had to celebrate the moment by re-enacting what had gotten Arthur in this situation in the first place.

Life was good.

)

Working away at getting breakfast ready the next day, they'd fallen into a routine where he handled this particular meal, which Blake was fine with since he wasn't a particularly good cook and found breakfast stuff pretty easy. That and it gave his brother and Eames more snuggle time, which would hopefully get some of their adorable acts of cuteness out of the way when he couldn't see them. Not that he begrudge them their happiness, or even their bond despite the fact that he wasn't used to sharing Arthur this much, it was just-he was still getting used to the resemblance between Eames and Bane, not to mention smarting from the current state of his non-relationship with the latter.

Which made him feel small and petty-but he was generally okay with that, especially when it came to his bastard ex. He never should have given the ass access to his own ass, even if it had only been the two times. The bastard had so not deserved the honor.

Responding to the beep coming from his pocket, he needed the distraction anyway, Blake pulled the machine stored there out and consulted the screen to make sure that yes, it was just Salar coming at his normal time, deactivating the alarm before returned it to his jeans and going back to what he was doing.

He was in the groove with his pancake flipping when Salar came walking into the kitchen, the look on the wolf's face tipping Blake off to the fact that something was definitely up.

Salar held up a small manila envelope. "It was in the mailbox. Addressed to 'The Expecting Parents'. I didn't smell anything off about it through the paper, but I thought I should wait for your permission before opening it."

"Watch the pancakes."

Nodding his head they switched, Salar handing over the envelope before taking Blake's place at the stove, glancing over his shoulder repeatedly as he waited to see what was inside while Blake did his own sniffing and examining.

Not sensing anything off either, at least not with his nose, Blake ran his fingers over the package since there would be no point in looking for fingerprints away. He was fairly sure that what he was feeling was a case used to protect a burned CD or DVD, or was at least that size and thin. Nothing else, at least that he could feel, appeared to have come with it.

Popping out his claws Blake opted to use one of the razor-sharp tips to cut along the side as opposed to the opening at top, pulling out the case and finding nothing else to examine within it. Tossing the now empty envelope onto the counter Blake studied the disc, noting the brand and type before excusing himself for a few minutes, heading out of the room and up to the second level. From there he climbed up the wall and into the attic, taking the disc out of its case and putting it into his laptop for analysis once he'd turned it on.

None of Arthur's programs detected anything wrong, just a standard file that was meant to be listened to as opposed to read or watched.

Plugging in his headphones, he didn't want anyone else in the house hearing anything before he wanted them to, Blake accessed the file and hit the play button.

When the music started playing he didn't recognize either the tune, lyrics, or singer, not his genre, that was for sure, but as he listened Blake could sort of see why the song would apply to his brother and Eames. Why someone would send the song and nothing else though-that he didn't understand. It made him think that there was probably going to be some message at the end, something mocking the song or a threat. But then the last lines of the song came…and it was no surprise that there was nothing afterwards but dead air.

The last lines were more than enough to get the sender's point across.

So he listened to it again with slitted eyes and grinched teeth, and then on the third try used an APP on his phone, one of his personal favorites, and holding his ear plug up to it allowed it to 'listen' to the music, his cell shortly displaying a readout that told him exactly who he was listening to.

He'd never heard of the guy, but he would admit that if the song hadn't been used as a threat against his brother and the babies said brother was currently carrying he might have appreciated it, though he wouldn't have added it to his playlist. He had enough to be depressed about already.

"Oi, Blake."

Hearing Eames's voice come up through the attic doorway Blake set aside the electronics and walked over to peer down through the hole, eyes immediately catching on the manila envelope the other man was holding. Ah. Shit. He shouldn't have left it in the kitchen, especially when Eames often came down to get breakfast so that he could take it up to Arthur.

Reading the man's mood easily enough Blake didn't even try and argue, sending the ladder down so that Eames could come up.

"What did that bitch send us?" Eames demanded to know as soon as he was standing in front of Blake, his voice still low but the growl in it making it quite clear that the wolf was expecting the worst and was more than up to joining Blake in ripping someone's throat out with their teeth.

"A CD. With a single song on it. Do you know a singer by the name of Ed Sheeran?"

"Yeah, he's English. My one sister fancies his stuff, and he's a redhead which she's always had a thing for. He's alright. The song was one of his? Which one?" Eames gaze went confused. "I know his stuff, they aren't exactly what I'd use to threaten someone with. Not his style."

"So you know the song 'Small Bump'?"

Holding up a finger to signal the need for a moment to go through his mental databanks, Eames worked his bottom lip with his teeth, concentration on his face. "I think-isn't that the song about a pregnancy? I seem to recall my sister saying something about not being able to listen to that song when she was up the duff because-"

"Because at the end it's revealed that the pregnancy ended in a miscarriage. A subtle, creative threat. Whether Talia had the brains to come up with it or it's one of her loyal dogs…hard to say."

Cursing creatively in increasingly loud British slang Eames paced up and down the attic floor as he worked it all out in his mind and tried to get himself under control. Blake didn't even bother to try and rein his brother's lover in, understanding better than anyone the man's mood and his need to shed blood at the possibility that the song had meant to shove into their minds. The idea that outside forces intended the outcome of the song to be Arthur's fate, that the nudges their loved one had started to feel beneath his skin would be permanently ended, the lives forming destroyed like they'd never been…oh yeah, the urge to end someone's life was running thick and hot in both their bloodstreams. Blake was just handling it better at the moment because he was too busy formulating his next moves.

Ironically, in the back of his mind, Blake knew that when faced with the person responsible for the CD he'd be the one ripping the bastard or bitch to shreds with just his fangs and claws, whereas Eames would probably be the one in some control over himself.

"We can't tell Arthur about this. The news might actually make him miscarry and-"

"No. He'll find out somehow, he always does, and then he'll not only be upset about the threat, but royally pissed off at us on top of that. We tell him after breakfast, and then we're going to make a call to Edwards, ask him to pay a visit here to remind the dogs that his compound will have something to say, not to mention do, if anything happens to Arthur or the babies. Have him stick around for a couple days will insure that the whole pack and not just its leaders understand they'd be risking a wolf and hybrid war if anything happens to us."

"Would they, the hybrids from all the compounds and not just yours, really take on the wolves? Seriously?"

"We've…collected a great many favors owed over the years. And we have no problem calling them in for this."

"Good."

)

Standing beside Talia two days later Bane wondered but didn't ask what she'd done to cause a delegation from the Sullivan compound to feel they needed to pay the town a visit to discuss just why it would be in said town's interest to take very good care of Blake's brother and the children the man carried. They were there with Kingsley, his father and uncle, Barsad his and Talia's third, waiting for their guests to arrive, and it was fair to say that they better arrive soon or the fighting would start before the third party got there. The older pack was furious, both at the idea that Arthur had been threatened while under their protection but also over the fact that anything the younger wolf pack did reflected on them as well. The Sullivan compound was the strongest of the hybrids, and was friendly with all the others. Angering them, much less threatening them by threatening one of their pack, was the height of stupidity.

And Bane really didn't appreciate being looked at like he was stupid.

Finally word came down that their guests had arrived, the armored vehicle coming to a stop just in front of them ten minutes later, the windows tinted so that the occupants weren't visible. The front door opened and out came a figure they all recognized as the bear hybrid that Blake and Arthur had mentioned as having both dated. The huge, bulky man opened the door for his leader, Patrick Edwards, and while the two were walking towards the group the front passenger door opened and out hopped-a child? No, not a child, though the girl probably barely topped five feet in height, the trained noses of the wolves immediately identifying her scent as that of a bird hybrid.

She was frankly adorable looking, her golden brown locks a mass of carefully styled curls that, along with the chubby cheeks and dimples, made her seem about as scary or dangerous as a declawed kitten. Only the older wolves knew there was a reason to suspect that the girl's appearance was beyond deceiving, and that was only because Kingsley and Eames's father were dead sure that they were most likely looking at Quinn. And given that they were meeting because of the felines the girl considered her parents…well they could only hope that Bruce had been serious when he'd stated that this deceptively cute girl was only a danger when you didn't see her coming.

Having converged on each other, with Quinn noticeably staying in the background with her hands buried in the deep pockets of her trench coat, the various delegations greeted each other, having all met before. And then Edwards was pointing behind him, introducing the hybrid behind him as simply Quinn.

The girl nodded and gave them all sunny smiles, but she didn't take her hands out of her pockets, rocking ever so slightly back and forth on her Mary Jane shoes.

Turning everyone's attention back to him, at least for the most part, Edwards suggested that they head inside, especially since the skies above would suggest that it was going to rain very soon, as England was prone to do.

Everyone agreeing with that sentiment they headed indoors, no one missing out on the fact that Quinn's eyes were focused on Talia and rarely blinked, much less glanced around.


	19. Quinn's A Cutie

Quinn's A Cutie

Once they were inside the hall, with the wolves and hybrids doing their best to keep between Talia and Quinn for obvious reasons, the alpha members took their seats at a table, polite chitchat made between them to start things off while their guards stood just behind them, ready to defend at a second's notice. Quinn stood on Edwards's right, her hands still in her pockets and her eyes remaining on Talia. The smile didn't fade from her face either as she started to make everyone else more than a little uneasy, even the ones who didn't know what a threat Quinn actually was. The other two members of her pack were obviously well aware of the vibe in the room, Edwards looking over at her once with a look that held warning, but she only returned his stare for a brief moment before going right back to staring at Talia like a locked heat seeking missile.

It didn't help either that everyone in the room knew that this whole meeting was a farce, and that there was absolutely nothing that any of the hybrids or older wolves could say to rein Talia in and make her come to heel against her will. This was simply to establish a precedent whereas any future actions they might take against her for hostilities on her part would be seen as more justifiable. They'd warned her, after all. There was also the slim hope that this would make Bane see reason, but they weren't holding their breath there either. Hence the fact that the felines who were causing all this fuss in the first place hadn't bothered to join them. They saw no point in showing up.

And no one was surprised when Talia snapped after less than five minutes of Quinn's staring, the wolf coldly demanding to know why Quinn wouldn't stop staring at her.

"I'm pondering the nature of your head."

"My what?"

"Your head. I'm curious about it, and what would happen if I put a bullet it in. Would it shatter like a piece of china because there's nothing in there, or is your skull so thick that the bullet would just bounce around until it did enough damage that it broke through? I can't decide."

"You would be wise not to threaten her, Little One."

"And you'd be wise to shut your pie hole, Bane. I wasn't talking to you."

Quiet. Dead quiet as everyone looked back and forth between the smugly smirking Quinn and Bane, who was looking a little dumbfounded to be talked back to by a girl that he could probably toss from one end of the meeting hall to another without any discernable effort.

Talia, meanwhile, was not pleased to have been insulted and now ignored, like Bane was the only real threat to the girl in the eyes of the other men. And that being the case she drew attention back to her by stating that Quinn was obviously an idiot to not know who she was dealing with.

"Given that you guys did the introductions less than ten minutes ago I'd have to be an idiot, yes. So to be clear I'm perfectly aware that he's the dumb muscle and you're the Megan Fox of this meeting."

"Megan Fox?" She repeated dumbly.

"Yeah, you know, the surgically enhanced bimbo. The one who does nothing in the movies except say bitchy or sexy things while providing the boys watching with masturbatory material in between explosions."

Teddy's aborted laugh slash snort was unusual loud in the quiet of the room.

"Quinn. Apologize." Edwards tone was commanding, though to the other sharp ears in the room it sounded like he didn't hold much hope she'd obey.

So everyone was surprised when Quinn's lips curved into a smile and a sincere sounding apology for any harm she might have caused passed her Cupid bow lips.

Then the majority of them weren't surprised at all as a familiar scent greeted their overly sensitive noses, foretelling of a new visitor to the gathering. The door opened and in came Blake looking just as rumpled and sexy as ever, the smirk on the feline's face putting Quinn's to shame, especially when he got to enjoy the reactions of everyone not in the know when Quinn squealed at his arrival, called him daddy, and went running over to throw her arms around his waist.

"Daddy?" Bane repeated, confusion in his voice.

"Yes, I am Daddy." Blake called out, his arm wrapped around Quinn's waist, keeping her by his side. "I hope you and my baby have been playing nice."

"I'm glad he's not my step daddy." Quinn informed him with a dark look in Bane's direction. "My other one better be nicer."

"As if your mommy or I would ever stick you with a bad step daddy." Blake kissed the top of her curls before turning his attention back to the others. "And since you all have business to discuss I'll take my best girl and leave you to it. You two can find your way to Eames's place afterwards, I presume?"

Obviously eager to get Quinn the hell out of there Edwards agreed that that would be for the best.

"How could you have a child her age?"

"Wow, you really did you know what the brains out of him."

"That I did, Baby. That I did."

And on that note the two headed out of the room while the others stared after them in stunned silence, Blake waiting until the door was closed behind them and they were outside before telling her how absolutely he adored her.

)

Feeling sorry for Bane, he did know the mental scarring Blake could inflict on a man who hadn't slept with him, so having slept with him Bane's had to be worse, Teddy decided to fill the silence by explaining to the wold that while Quinn and the Blake brothers weren't biologically related, they had formed a mini family of their own within the compound. Being a bird surrounded by far more apex predators, the two felines had assumed a protective, parental role with her. "So in short Arthur's going to be a wonderful parent to your future grandchild." Teddy added, turning his attention to Eames's father. "After raising Quinn I doubt there's anything twins could throw at him that he can't handle."

"I'm surprised you allow her to behave like that in public." Talia openly sneered at Edwards. "Seeing as her actions reflect on you as her alpha."

"And as I've tried many, many times to explain to you, Talia, we're not wolves. We're hybrids. Yes we have members who are more dominant than others, but I'm only the 'alpha' of my compound because you wolves have to have other 'alphas' to talk to and I got stuck with the job. Maybe I could intimidate Quinn into behaving, and that would take some doing, but Blake and Arthur would rip my throat out with their teeth if they thought I'd crossed the line and no one from our compound would be surprised. Hell, if they'd thought Arthur would take it they probably would have stuck him with this job." Edwards' tone of voice made it clear he would have handed the job over to the feline quite happily.

"You'd trust him to represent your compound?"

"Lady, I would pay good money to see him do it."

Teddy had a playful gleam in his eyes when he added that they could sell tickets.

"As much as I enjoy that mental image I think we need to get back on track." Though privately Kingsley thought this was the best meeting he'd ever had involving Talia, even better than the previous one with the Blake's brothers which he hadn't thought would be topped any time soon.

"Yes, another pointless meeting." Talia crossed her arms in front of her as she leaned back in her seat, her eyes daring any of them to yet again accuse her of doing anything to harm the felines currently residing in the town. They had no proof and that was that as far as she and her pack were concerned.

Hoping to smooth the waters a little more Bane opened his mouth to try and ended up closing it in response to Edwards' next words.

"Yes, pointless, but here we are so I thought we should keep this short and sweet."

"Threats?" Talia drawled out, her tone openly mocking.

"No. A few words of advice, actually." The panther hybrid's eyes sharpening ever so slightly. "You have the army, Talia, the soldiers who still devote themselves to the ideas we were all brought up with. You're dangerous, organized, and no one here is stupid enough to discount you as a powerful threat. I certainly don't. In the animal kingdom we're the apex predators, the ones other animals cower and flee from…but we're also often on the endangered list or heading in that direction. In a one on one fight a wolf, bear or panther could kill a human easy, but they wipe us out easily enough when they want to. Even a child can put a wolf down with the right weapon in his hand."

And now Edwards leaned forward, all hint of civility gone. "In your compound you were treated like human beings, so you don't know what it's like to live in a world where the young were regularly disposed of because they weren't good enough. Where you and your playmates, your family, are nothing but lab rats to be manipulated and used by your own creators. Threats to our young now, we take VERY seriously. Physically we're weaker than you overall…but if you cross the line you're toeing, you'll find out our brains more than make up for our perceived lack of brawn." Edwards' gaze shifted to Kingsley. "And you'll want to kick them out of this town if they do cross the line immediately. We wouldn't want innocents caught in the crossfire."

In one smooth motion Talia got to her feet, hissing that threatening her was never a wise choice.

"Neither is pissing me off." Getting to his feet as well Edwards returned her stare without flinching. "Everything doesn't have to be a dominance match, you know. You keep shoving your 'alpha' nature down our throats, when all it does it beg the question of why you'd need to."

Apparently still in control enough to realize that she was seriously outnumbered by people that hated her guts, not to mention the fact that one more word out of any of them about her status in HER pack would send her beast over the edge, Talia gave all non-members of her pack a hard look before announcing that they were done here.

Bane and Barsad both immediately moved to follow her, which just proved she was the one in charge to Talia as she started to march out without waiting for the other wolves or hybrids to agree with her that the meeting was finished.

"Bane." Teddy's voice was quiet but perfectly understandable. "We'll be at your cousin's place until late this evening, you should arrange with him to drop by for a few minutes. There's something we'd like to discuss with you." Just a hint of derision now. "And don't get your tail in a knot, Talia, he'll tell you all about what we had to say when he gets back if necessary."

"Then why not say it here and now, since I'm standing right here?"

Edwards's smiled in Talia's direction. "We wouldn't want to waste your time."

)

All in all Quinn was willing to admit that her mommy had done a pretty good job when it came to finding her a step daddy. He was a wolf, unfortunately, but he was charming, good looking, and best of all he obviously loved mommy a whole, whole lot. Plus he'd given her two little brothers, which was an idea she was really warming up to now that she'd gotten over the fact that she wasn't going to be an only child anymore. As she explained to her future siblings, since there was research that suggested babies were aware of stuff even in the womb, she was going to teach her brothers all sorts of cool things like how to be snipers, fly planes, and tap dance.

Opening his mouth to ask about the tap dancing Eames wisely closed it again when he remembered her Shirley Temple obsession. Of course she knew how to tap dance and wanted to teach the boys. Please God let them be boys since she wanted to be the only girl. For his part Eames had to admit that he'd never considered the possibility of having a step daughter who was technically only a few years younger than himself, but overall he thought they'd get along fairly well. It was obvious that she loved her 'parents', and that so long as they liked him she was fine with him too. Unless he cheated or caused her mommy harm in the future. She'd point blank told him she'd hunt him down and start literally whittling down his body by shooting pieces off if he did hurt Arthur when they'd had a moment alone together while Blake had gone to retrieve Arthur, who'd been napping before she arrived.

He believed her too, and was going to have nightmares about the mental images she'd implanted in his head for at least the duration of her visit, if not longer.

Having finished rhapsodizing about how awesome her lessons were going to be Quinn lifted up Arthur's jumper enough that she could place two kisses on her mommy's stomach and then took a seat beside him on the couch. Comfortably cuddling in against Arthur's side Quinn made a happy, content sound before turning her head to look at Blake, asking him how long he thought it would be before Patrick and Teddy got there.

Lounging on a nearby chair Blake absently checked his watch. "Shouldn't be long, Patrick is a pretty straight shooter and Talia's got a short fuse when it comes to him. My fuse is way shorter than his of course."

"Of course." Refraining from rolling his eyes, or pointing out to his brother that he should be working to lengthen that fuse instead of cutting it shorter, Arthur settled for shaking his head a little. He wanted to be at that meeting, it was the control freak in him, but like his brother he knew that if they had gone to it they would have been the focus of the discussion and that would defeat the whole purpose of the meeting in the first place. Without them around, specifically his brother, Talia's focus would be all on Patrick, who would, in his no bullshit way, make it clear that any attack on them was an attack on him.

Talia had never seen Patrick in action, so she didn't know what a threat he actually was when riled, but her animal would hopefully have more sense, and show some wariness about picking another fight with them any time soon. An empty hope most likely, but Bane was there, and protecting Talia was his thing. And he would know, would see just why Patrick Edwards had been pushed into the role of Sullivan Compound's 'Alpha'. Not having Blake around to distract him from getting that point was just another reason he'd ordered his brother to keep it short when he'd gone to pick up Quinn.

Apparently, from Quinn's rundown, Blake had gotten her to be sassy in his place.

"Car coming up the drive." Blake informed them all, getting to his feet. "I'll go let them in."

"Me too, me too!"

So off Blake and Quinn went, leaving Eames and Arthur alone for a moment.

"Eames."

"Yes, Darling?"

Crooking his finger Arthur waited until Eames had ambled over before reaching out to place his fingers around the back of Eames's neck, pulling him down so that he press their lips together in a very thorough kiss that ended with a friendly nip to the forger's bottom lip.

"What was that for, so that I can do it often?" Bracing his hands on the couch for balance Eames leaned in to steal another quick kiss.

"Just a reminder that you're mine."

Smirking, Eames pointed out that Arthur was the one with the ex about to visit.

"Since he's promised to hold the catnip until he leaves I figure things will be fine. He's not the poaching sort even if I wasn't pregnant, and he did push me in your direction as you'll recall."

"Catnip?"

"This special rub he came across somewhere for fish. Blake and I make idiots of ourselves over it whenever he brings us some for his amusement. You'll see later." Though Teddy had promised not to make them give him the 'Puss and Boots' eyes in exchange for their favorite treat, thank God. "Now sit here beside me already."

"I would, Darling, but I'm fairly sure Quinn considers that her seat and I'd rather not anger our little girl at the moment. Especially since she's apparently always armed with a gun."

Chuckling, Arthur pulled him in for another kiss. "Sit down, Eames. She'll just cuddle up in Blake's lap. She's a daddy's girl, really."

"Well I'll take that seat then, provided you promise to protect me."

"Promise."

They'd just settled in when their company came into the room, Teddy taking one look at Arthur and then breaking into such hysterical laughter that he dropped the large box he'd been carrying and Patrick actually had to guide his own bodyguard into a chair after setting down the identical box he was carrying. That done he came over to shake Arthur and Eames's hands before retrieving both boxes and setting them in front of Arthur and Eames.

"Congratulations."

Returning Patrick's wry smile, they had similar senses of humor, Arthur thanked him for the presents before turning his attention to Teddy, telling the big oaf to get ahold of himself before he broke a rib.

"You're the one in danger of rib damage once those kittens of yours start kicking your guts out." It was a struggle, but Teddy managed to rein himself in enough to get the words out.

"They aren't kittens, they're kips." Quinn corrected him with a smirk from Blake's lap. "Half kitten, half pup. Kups doesn't work."

A pause for consideration, then they all had to laugh a little, as well as agree that kips it was.


	20. Building Something

Building Something

After unwrapping the gifts, which turned out to be matching Fischer Price Luv U Zoo Jumperoos that looked utterly brilliant to Eames, and which had Quinn squealing over the adorableness of them while tearing open the boxes like the half feral child she sorta was. Once they were opened and she had one of the manuals in hand Quinn took Eames's seat on the couch to show her mommy the features while Eames insisted they had to construct both of them then and there even though the babies weren't even born yet to use them. Teddy was all for it naturally, and not bothering to try and talk the two out of it Arthur directed Blake as to where to find Eames's grandfather's tool box for the two, who he just knew would ignore the instructions and start jury rigging things in no time. And they did, of course, so that the other four just sat back in their seats and watched the two idiots try and figure out how to put together two children's toys, each taking one and competing against the other to see who could finish theirs first.

"If you break one of them in the process the breakee is going to replace it." Patrick informed them darkly, though they were being somewhat amusing. Shopping in a baby store had been a hellish experience, he told Arthur, and it was not one he was going to repeat any time soon. And if he had to he'd damn well order the present online. Lesson learned big time.

"They probably won't look like the box, but I would imagine they won't do too much damage." Not really concerned about it, the entertainment value of it would be worth replacing the bouncer thingies later if need be, Blake simply enjoyed the show while his brother tried to tell both idiots what to do to no avail.

And enjoy the show they did until finally Patrick couldn't stand watching his bodyguard fail so epically, and joined the other man on the floor to help him even though Teddy loudly told him that he had this, and even if he didn't it would be cheating for Patrick to help him.

"I'll help my new daddy and then it will be even."

Walking over to take a seat beside Eames Quinn began to put things together with a speed and aura of self-assurance that made it clear she knew exactly what she was doing and staying out of her way was for the best. The fact that the baby jumper started to take shape under her hands very quickly, with Eames sitting back and letting her do all the work with a bemused grin on his face, had their opponents scowling at her and demanding to know how she was doing this so fast.

"I read the manual while you guys were being stupid."

"That's my girl." Arthur's voice rang with smug pride, which had Quinn beaming back at him with pleasure at the praise before turning her attention back to showing the other guys up.

In short order the first one was up and ready to go, Quinn leaving her step daddy to play with all the features of the toy while she went over to help the two members of the Sullivan Compound put theirs together since it wouldn't be fair to her brothers if the one was crap.

"This is bloody brilliant, Lads. Seriously." Playing with the monkey attached to the jumper Eames wished he'd had one of these things when he was a boy. As it was he could see his own boys jumping around like crazy in them easily enough in his mind, looking just like Arthur and Blake from their tiny toes to their adorably big ears.

"They are wonderful." Arthur agreed with a smile in the direction of the two hybrids who'd bought them. "They'll be both fun and mentally stimulating." And since Eames hadn't bothered to read the box first Arthur explained the various features that were designed to encourage their babies to stretch, learn, and improve their hand eye coordination.

"Even better."

Since with the exception of Eames and Quinn none of the others in the room had been given toys as children, Quinn having started out in one of the more lenient and child friendly compounds before being transferred to Gotham, they all had some fun testing out the various features of the new toys for a while while tossing out possible names for the twins.

When his cell phone went off in the middle of a debate as to how sissy the name Julian was, since it could be shortened to Jules, Eames excused himself to answer it, since it was Bane's name on the screen and his cousin wasn't terribly popular at the moment.

Putting his ear to the phone he told the other man to hold on a minute and then headed outside to sit on the porch, Salar nodding to acknowledge his presence before going back to scanning the perimeter like the good soldier he was.

"Okay, shoot, what can I do for you, Cousin Dear?"

"Cousin Dear?"

"I'm related to you, Bane." Eames pointed out dryly. "Ergo I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't tease and torment you a little when the opportunity arises. Now to what do I owe the pleasure, especially as I'd imagined you'd be busy calming down Talia at the moment as the meeting didn't go at all her way from the sounds of it."

"I don't tease you."

"You should. Actually you have years of not being a bratty little pest to make up for, but I overlook that since you didn't know any better."

A long silence as Bane absorbed that, no doubt confused, as always, about family connections and how close they should actually be because of that. Then Bane asked if the members of the Sullivan Compound had mentioned that they'd told him to call about dropping by to speak to them in private about something. He had time now if that worked.

"Do you have Talia's permission?"

"Yes."

"You know, I'd be making whipping sounds right about now if not for the fact that the meaning would go completely over your bald head. So give me a minute instead while I confer with the rest of the house occupants." When Bane agreed to that Eames put him on hold and then went back in to talk to the others, the Sullivan pair confirming that they had wanted to speak to Bane alone, but neither would say what about. This of course aroused the suspicion and curiosity of the others, but it was agreed that an invitation to stop by was just fine with them.

So Eames got back on the phone again and relayed that news, Bane stating that he'd be right over.

Passing on that news Patrick and Teddy stated that they'd go out to meet him so that they could talk in private, asking if they wanted him to bring Bane back with them after their chat.

Blake's immediate response was a yes, and no one said differently. Or wanted to argue with him about it.

)

Bane parked his car at the side of the road when he saw that the Sullivan Compound members were waiting for him at the end of the driveway slash street if one was British. The fact that both Americans and the British spoke the same language technically, but insisted on having different names for some things had always exasperated him. Especially when it came to the debate of what sport football and soccer actually were. His biological father and Eames's father were sticklers about that, and he'd done his best to block out their behavior at some of the sporting events they'd dragged him into attending with them over the years. His uncle had even painted his face in his team's colors a few times.

Shaking his head at the memory of those events, Bane got out and walked over to where the other two waited, his face revealing none of the curiosity he was feeling. He both respected and liked Patrick Edwards, the feline was a blunt and honest man, and he'd never had problems with the hybrid's second, though now that he knew the bear hybrid had briefly dated his kitten he couldn't say he liked the fact that the other man was here. He hadn't come to this meeting armed because he knew they'd have been up front if this was more than just a conversation. That Blake wasn't with them was disappointing, though probably for the best since he wouldn't have wanted to see him aligned with the other two instead of him.

"We're under orders to bring you back to the cabin after talking to you, so we'll keep this short and sweet before Blake comes down to find out why we're keeping you."

Not for a moment revealing how he felt about that wry observation, Bane asked Patrick why he'd wanted this meeting, especially since it was obviously not meant for outside ears or they would have simply talked in the cabin with everyone else.

"True. And you could tell them when we get up there what we're about to talk about…but I wouldn't recommend it." He was the picture of ease, a deception Patrick did well. "Bane, do you believe in my word? That if I tell you I believe something to be true and swear to it, it's the truth?"

"I would."

"Thank you. Then I swear to you, on my life and the lives of my compound, that if Talia makes another move on the occupants of that cabin up there Talia will die. She has an enemy, one who hates her more than I can put into words, and that enemy is crouched and ready to pounce the moment Talia makes a wrong move. It was all we could do to stop that person from coming here today to do it. We won't be so lucky the next time."

"You're going to a lot of trouble not to say who this enemy is."

"And you're thinking that every threat posed to her is known to you. You don't. Or you did, but you don't realize the threat still exists. Either way…keep your girl on a leash or you'll be burying her. If you're given a body to find and bury."

"There's no one in your compound with those skills."

"The enemy isn't coming from our compound. Isn't a hybrid. But again, Talia's executioner if it comes to that."

It was on the tip of Bane's tongue to ask why Patrick was so sure that Talia would lose, but it was obvious the other man had no intention of pointing him in the direction of the threat or giving him more information to go on. And while he could torture it out of the hybrid…that would involve crossing lines he didn't want to have to cross, as well as days if not weeks of work. Hybrids were no stranger to pain, and he'd imagine the majority of them had a pain tolerance that would shock even hardened soldiers.

He'd been given some clues to work with, and he'd go from there. And he'd take Patrick at his word about this, though how he was going to get Talia to behave was currently beyond him. He'd never had much luck there before, especially when she was as focused on Blake and his family as she currently was.

In the end all Bane could say was that the message was received. They all knew he only had so much sway over Talia.

"All right then, shall we head up so that Blake can pour salt on your wounds?"

Not even bothering to give Teddy a dark look for that cheeky comment, Bane started up the driveway, the other two trailing behind him.

He could practically feel Teddy smirking at him through his jacket.

Again Bane nodded in acknowledgement when he passed Salar, and then he headed inside, following his nose until he found himself looking at Blake, who smiled and wiggled his fingers in his direction. The little girl who seemed to think Blake was her 'daddy' was glaring at him from the floor, where she appeared to be playing with some sort of device that was probably meant to contain and entertain a small child for a time. There were two of them, which made sense given that his kitten's brother was having twins.

"Bane."

Watching Blake get out of his chair and motion for him to take it, Bane knew the other man well enough to know what was coming next. But he was just fine with that so he went over without question and took the chair, wrapping one arm automatically around Blake's waist to keep him where he was when he took a seat on his lap.

It was easy enough to ignore the murderous looks he was getting from the bird hybrid when he had his kitten's scent in his nose and Blake's tough but slender body pressed up against his own.

)

Calling Quinn over to keep her away from Bane for everyone's good, Arthur smiled down at her when she shuffled over to press her head against his thigh, silently demanding more attention in payment for behaving. Reaching down he carefully stroked her curls and then picked up their previous conversation where they'd left off, sensing that Bane would have no interest in the rest of them since Blake was in the room. Nor did his brother contribute anything either, which would be rare normally and something he could see that puzzled the rest of the hybrids, who knew how out of character this was for his brother. They didn't get that the time the two had together was short, always short, and neither man was going to waste it paying attention to anyone but the other. Not talking, just savoring the closeness and stolen moments.

It made his heart hurt to watch them.

Eames's lips brushed against his temple. "You all right?"

"Your twins are playing football in my faux womb." Which was the truth, even if that hadn't been the reason he'd winced. Their babies seemed to sense that there were enough people around to make this a party, and they wanted to be a part of it too.

Smiling when Eames slid a hand under his shirt to stroke his belly, something the wolf tended to more often now that the kips had decided kicking their mommy's insides was great fun, Arthur smiled when Teddy and Patrick both gave his stomach interested looks, their curiosity and desire to feel too obvious to miss. "You two can feel too if you want."

With very put upon sighs Eames and Quinn moved out of the way so that Patrick and Teddy could take a turn feeling the babies move against their splayed out hands.

"That is just the weirdest fucking thing. And I've seen a lot of weird in-OW!"

Having just smacked him upside the head Quinn glared at Teddy. "No potty mouth around my little brothers. They can hear you, you know."

While Teddy debated with Arthur as to the validity of that statement Patrick met Eames's eyes and smirked, the Englishman doing the same. And then Arthur surprised all of them when, after the hearing ability of a fetus was no longer under discussion, he looked across the room at Bane and asked the towering mound of muscle if he'd like to feel the babies moving too. Because while everyone in the room was well aware that Bane was related to the babies by blood…

"Of course he will." Sliding out of Bane's grasp Blake got to his feet and then turned around, offering his hands to the wolf with a wide grin on his face.

Accepting the hands, though obviously he wouldn't need them, Bane got up and made his way over to the couch Arthur and his cousin were sitting on, crouching down in front of Arthur while Eames lifted up the shirt for him.

Very carefully, like he was afraid he would cause the babies harm if he didn't exert extreme control, Bane placed his hands over Arthur's stomach, as still as a statue as he waited for the babies to move, which they did with enthusiasm.

After a minute to absorb that, his expression giving away nothing, Bane said a quiet thank you and then got to his feet and returned to his earlier seat, Blake following after him to retake his spot on Bane's lap.

)

Reading his darling well enough Eames could see that for Blake's sake if nothing else Bane would be welcome to stay for dinner, so he asked his cousin if he would stick around for the meal. Unfortunately he wasn't really surprised when the other man took a couple minutes and made a quick phone call before stating that yes, he could, but Bane was staying and that was the main thing. Thankfully they'd really stocked up on food, they were technically feeding a bear after all, so there would be plenty and the conversation continued to flow peacefully enough as they continued to hang out together. And once it was time to get the meat cooking Eames insisted that his cousin assist him in putting the steaks out on the grill while Quinn and Blake took care of the potatoes and other sides they had planned for the evening. Arthur was left in charge of entertaining Patrick and Teddy, the three remaining where they were while the others headed off to take up their tasks.

Once they were out back, Salar had started it up for him earlier as requested, Eames didn't waste any time asking what Patrick and Teddy had wanted to talk to him about. He'd been dying of curiosity.

"Just another warning."

"But there has to be something special about this bloody warning or they wouldn't have insisted on going down to see you all secretive like. Or did they tell you not to tell me?"

"They said I could, but they advised against it."

Lips moving into a pout Eames gave his cousin a look that said this conversation was far from over.


	21. Babies and Secrets

Babies and Secrets

As it turned out not even Blake could get Bane to spill the beans about what the two members of the Sullivan compound had wanted to talk to Talia's muscle about, so by the end of the night the visitors were gone except for Quinn who was determined to hang around a little bit longer to continue to get a sense of her step daddy and the health of her mommy and siblings. So with Quinn tucked up in the guest room for the night and Blake up sulking in the attic Eames and Arthur turned in for the night with the former having to help the latter get ready since Arthur was getting bigger by the day.

"After this is over you're going to spend a fortune buying me designer clothes tailored to fit my not pregnant body to make this up to me." Arthur informed Eames as he slid under the covers, glaring down at the huge bump that made him feel like a total pig. And what was even worse was the fact that he hadn't even gotten into this state pigging out on yummy food, which his babies were also not letting him eat often because they were so picky about what they'd let him eat.

"Only the best for my darling." Eames assured him as he leaned over to give Arthur's forehead a smacking kiss before reaching out to rub a hand over the mound of Arthur's stomach. "Are you going to insist on dressing our children in designer clothes, Luv? Like those celebrities who spend thousands of dollars on a bloody jumper the kid's only going to wear once or twice."

"One, any child of mine is not only going to know how to dress, but dress well despite your genes, and two, only a complete idiot blows that kind of money on a child when it comes to clothes. They grow out of or destroy the perfectly innocent clothes within weeks depending on the age. But I will be strictly monitoring what they wear, so get the idea out of your head now if you think for one minute you're going to have any say in the matter."

Eames considered this, and hoped that his children wouldn't curse him later for not arguing the point. "Can I at least have a say in what sports they play and watch?"

"Provided they want to watch or play when they're old enough."

Bingo. "And that same rule applies to their clothes once they're old enough to have a say?"

Arthur smirked, making it clear that he had seen his little ploy coming from a mile away. "They can have all the say they want when they're buying the clothes and I don't have the authority to bar them from leaving the house if they look like color blind fashion rejects."

"Ah...they yes, let us hope once again that we're not having girls."

Smiling in response Arthur was about to make a comment about that when his stomach was kicked hard, both his hands moving to press against his stomach as he winced hard. "Dammit."

Immediately Eames was up on his knees, his eyes going stormy as he pressed his hands over Arthur's as he asked what was wrong. Did he need something? Should he call his mum? Blake? What was wrong?

"Really hard kick. Fuck."

"Getting stronger by the day, aren't they?" Rubbing his darling's stomach to try and soothe his babies into letting their mum rest, Eames murmured to them that they needed to remember that Arthur would be in charge of their clothes for the next eighteen years at least. They ought to keep that in mind the next time they decided to use their poor mum's insides like a football.

"You plan on teaching them to call me mum, aren't you?"

"You prefer mommy, Darling?"

"I'm used to it. And I am the one carting your babies around for months, so it's not like I can argue I'm the woman in this situation so to speak. Which again, means that you're going to me making this all up to me, particularly the stretch marks, for the rest of our lives together."

Shifting up again while bracing his body weight on the hand he set beside Arthur's shoulder, Eames leaned over to brush their lips together one, twice, and a third time before stating that he had absolute faith that Arthur could make even stretch marks look hot.

"Damn right I can." Reaching out Arthur pulled Eames's head down for a much more serious kiss, one that lasted until another hard kick had him breaking it off so that he could curse that fact.

And then his bladder insisted he had to pee again, completely ruining the mood they'd both been going for.

)

In the morning the babies were still kicking like mad with only short periods of rest, and thanks to the sleepless night he'd gotten as a result of all that kicking Arthur was far easier to convince than normal that he should go in for a checkup in case there was a reason they were in such a frisky frenzy. Quinn wanted to see the babies on the ultrasound so she wanted to come along for that alone, but she was worried too about her little brothers and so they all piled into Eames's car and headed into town after breakfast. Thankfully Eames's mom had managed to clear a space for them, and they were all her hoping that she'd tell them that this was entirely normal for babies to be doing at this point.

Once the ultrasound was up and showing the babies everyone breathed a sigh of relief that they looked pretty normal, or at least as normal as two alien looking creatures with overly large heads could be.

"Ah...interesting."

"What's interesting?" Eames asked distractedly, unable to tear his eyes away from the screen.

"They've grown a lot faster than I expected. The estimates we made based on their growth in relation to the time of conception, they're bigger than we anticipated. And they're starting to run out of room."

Now Arthur looked in her direction, his voice joining the other three as they all asked as one if the babies were in trouble.

"No, but they're going to have to come out sooner than we anticipated. Maybe even as early as next week."

Again everyone else in the room spoke in tandem to express their shock and surprise over that.

"That's what I said. This isn't a normal pregnancy, not by any standards. It was always going to end in surgery to remove the babies from Arthur's artificial womb once they were big enough to survive being separated from him. Leaving them in too long could kill them, and potentially Arthur depending on how badly wrong things went. In this case the sooner they come out the better for all three of them."

"This would make things easier. The sooner we can go home and get away from Talia's bitches the better and safer they'll be." When everyone looked at him Blake simply shrugged his shoulders. "What? No matter what they said to Talia or Bane during their little powwows it's only a matter of time before she shows how incredibly stupid she is and tries something. If we're all in the US when she makes that next move we'll be in our territory, not hers. If she can even find where we are, which is doubtful. Yes I know being around Dr. Eames is preferable, but she can't do any of them much good if they're dead."

"Even once they're born they're still going to need to stay close by for medical reasons. We'll have no way of knowing how they'll adapt to the outside world until I can look them over properly. They can't be trusted to a regular doctor and there's the physical markers to consider. There can't be any cosmetic surgeries until they're older, the data we have on the first hybrids indicated that many of them likely died from the shock of having limbs and other body features removed when their systems were too new to handle it."

"You're both right." Quinn informed them to head off a possible fight. "But my daddy's more right than you, Grandma. There's nothing you can do for them if they're dead. Of course we'd be dead too which would suck cause those stupid dog breathes would have to get past us first which isn't likely. Unless they try to blow us up. But that would be the smart thing to do and the bitch isn't."

While Eames's mother reeled over being called grandma by Quinn the others traded looks, knowing that Blake and Quinn were right about it being safer for all of them if they had an ocean between them and the wolves. Bane and common sense could only protect them from Talia for so long. But Eames's mother was right too, and they knew that as well.

"For right now what we concentrate on is Arthur and the babies." Eames told them all, cutting the others off. "We focus on getting the babies out without any harm being done to them or Arthur. After they're fine we can go from there. Nothing else matters until that's done and we can judge how safe our various options are. For now, we're happy the babies look healthy and Arthur is as well, badly bruised stomach aside."

"Thank you for adding that last part."

"Of course, Darling. Not to mention the fact that it's bloody difficult to get sleep myself with you up and cursing our boys for kicking you black and blue."

"If I wasn't pregnant with your kips I'd shoot you for that and blame it on hormones."

"He loves me madly."

"Sure I do." Rolling his eyes, though the look in them when they focused on Eames was soft, Arthur turned his attention to his still befuddled doctor. "Is there anything I need to do, or can do, to make them stop using me as their punching bag for the next little while?"

"Fraid not. Their other father was the exact same way."

Shoulders hunching at the dark look he was now getting from both Arthur and his own mum, Eames mumbled that he really couldn't be held responsible for what he'd done or his children were doing in the womb. From their continued looks it was obvious they didn't consider that a decent defense.

"You know this isn't fair, you might have been just as bad for all-sorry." Eames winced, having belatedly remembered why it was that they had no way of knowing just how active Arthur and Blake had been in the womb or any other quirks about their genetics.

"Don't worry. We both hope we broke ribs when we were in the womb."

Arthur and Blake fist bumped each other.

"Me too, me too."

They each fist bumped Quinn.

Having regained her composure Eames's mother told Arthur that it would be for the best if he stopped in every couple days until say the end of the following week. If the babies were big enough at that point, and they had no reason to think it would be unwise to act, they'd perform the surgery then.

Arthur nodded in agreed, and waited until after they were done and heading out before he asked Eames why he looked so troubled. It was good news that they'd have their babies sooner than later.

"I don't like the idea of you having dangerous surgery."

Chuckling, though it wasn't really funny, Arthur placed a kiss on Eames's cheek. "I've had loads of them, Eames. And I haven't died once."

)

Arthur could see that Eames was getting progressively tenser and more worried as the day went by, his forger imagining the worst and trying to hide that fact without much success. And since it wasn't so long ago that he'd come to England expecting that he'd have to have an abortion, or even might end up dead because of some strange new medical condition, Arthur knew that sort of irrational fear well. Take that level of fear and triple it, and you might get close to the level of fear one felt when you thought someone you loved was in harm's way. But how he was supposed to make this easier on Eames...he didn't know.

He'd spoke honestly before, about the fact that the idea of surgery didn't scare him. His childhood had been full of them after all. The recent scans taken of his body, he'd studied them religiously and compared them to regular wombs and pregnancies. There were inherit risk to any sort of surgery, people had died on the table during the most routine procedures, but he wasn't most people and Arthur trusted his own strength of will enough to believe that if anything went wrong he'd survive it. Did he fear for his children, yes, of course. But they came from him and Eames, had that strength of will bred into their bones. They would be strong enough too. Their very existence proved their strength.

His brother and Quinn knew his strength, knew what he'd survived, so they weren't half as worried as Eames was. Eames had some idea, but there was just some things, some types of pain and suffering that someone who hadn't experienced it personally couldn't begin to understand. And because he couldn't come up with a plan to help Eames with his fears Arthur sought his brother out after dinner, since Eames was on clean up duty and Quinn had decided that she wanted to hang with Salar for the last couple hours of his shift to get to know him better. Whether he wanted her to or not.

Since they didn't have a lot of time alone and Eames had very good hearing Arthur got straight to the point and then asked his twin for his opinion once it was only them.

Taking a moment to think it over Blake weighed the pros and cons of the most obvious answer and then went with his gut, which trusted Eames enough for him to say it. "Tell him the truth about where we come from. The others don't know much about us, but they do know something of the conditions we lived in and the amount of experimentation done. Yes I know it's a risk, someone could get it out of him, but he's under our protection now anyway...and since you love him he should know anyway. The more time that passes without you telling him the more it's going to piss him off that you didn't tell him sooner."

"I've told him there's things I can't tell him about my past."

Reaching out Blake gave Arthur's shoulder a squeeze. "The wolves are circling, Arthur. They're going to know who they're messing with soon enough. I've wracked my brain thinking of who Patrick and Teddy could have threatened Bane with that he would have taken seriously, and the person that came first to mind was Beta."

"Who Beta actually is...they know better than to discuss that."

"All they'd have to do was warn him that there's someone who hates Talia with every fibre of her being, and could kill her easily. Would kill her, if Talia came after us again. He wouldn't know who they were talking about, he thinks she's dead like the rest of them."

"And hopefully it will stay that way. But if it doesn't...well there goes our identities again. I trust Eames to keep his mouth shut about it, and we don't have to tell him about Beta. That remains with us until we're back home unless she makes an appearance here. He's going to meet her either way."

Yeah, and that could get sticky given who Eames's godfather was. Arthur still hadn't quite worked out how they were going to deal with that situation and he was usually beyond brilliant when it came to strategizing. He blamed the pregnancy hormones one hundred percent for that. Just as he blamed them now, because his brother's suggestion did seem the best course of action given the present circumstances they were in. And he would have to tell Eames sooner or later about his compound, Blake was right about that too.

"You think this is the best option?"

"Even if it's not, it will definitely take his mind off the babies and surgery for at least the next twenty-four hours."

That too was an excellent point.

"All right. I'll tell him."

"I'll go help Salar deal with Quinn then. I figure I owe him that at least given that I've been kicking his nice little ass since I got here."

"He's not your type."

"No, but making Bane think for even a moment that I'd tap that makes me feel all warm and happy inside." Blake grinned in response to his brother's expression. "Hey, I'm not getting laid right now, I have to take the tingles where I can get them."

"Just help Salar, don't make things worse."

"I'd say scout's honor but not only were we never scouts, but not even I would wear those ugly uniforms."

And on that note Blake headed towards the front of the house while Arthur headed for the kitchen. Eames wasn't there, but it was a simple matter to follow his nose to find Eames sitting out on the back porch, deep in thought as the forger stared off into space. But as soon as he opened the door that led outside Eames's head was turning to look at him, his voice gentle as he asked him if he was okay.

"As good as I can be in your hand me downs because I'm so fat." He was also waddling a little, which was so mortifying Arthur was actually grateful that he wasn't in the United States, around people he knew. This was not the sort of mental images he wanted people to have in their heads when they thought of him. That Eames did was bad enough, even though the forger was practically in love with his belly.

Eames got up once he'd made it to the other man's side, and Arthur let him help him down to a sitting position beside him.

"Smells like rain."

"Well this is England, Darling. We're big on rain here."

"Yes, I've noticed. It's a wonder you all don't have webbed feet and gills at this point."

"It's not that bad."

"Eames...the saying it's raining cats and dogs came from this country because during the time period the idiom was coined London's streets were so full of strays that after heavy rainstorms the streets would be full of drowned cats and dogs."

A long pause. "Seriously?"

"Seriously."

"Bloody hell. I could have done without knowing that, especially since we are a cat and a dog, Luv."

Shifting closer Arthur slid his arm through Eames's, leaning against him a little as their heads came to lean against each others as well as they stared out into the wooded yard. "Would it make you feel better if I pointed out that none of us are likely to drown anytime soon? Well other than me since I'm not entirely sure how well I could swim at this point."

"I'd get you to safety, and I'm of course always happy to provide you with mouth to mouth resuscitation if needed."

"That was never in question."


	22. Some Secrets Revealed

An early, early update to make up for the long time before the last update, and because I'm anxious to get to the sequel when Talia meets her arch nemesis again muhahahaha. Special call out to Kiesel_Katie, who tried so hard to guess Arthur's DNA. Decided to reveal it earlier than planned just for you.

Some Secrets Revealed

Since he was in no hurry to spill his guts Arthur didn't stop Eames when the other man leaned in to demonstrate his skills when it came to mouth to mouth contact, gladly turning his attention to kissing Eames back even though the twins were still kicking his insides for shits and giggles. Their DNA basically guaranteed brat tendencies, unfortunately. Arthur was getting used to it at this point though, and he figured they'd forgive him for not giving them his full attention at the moment since their other parent would not be a happy camper if he didn't get as much loving as the belly and the two attention seekers allowed.

But eventually air was required, and Eames wrapping an arm around his waist and cuddling him up against his side had Arthur feeling that ya, he did in fact need to say what he'd come outside to tell the forger.

"You know how we were talking about names before, and how yours is a family name? I didn't mention that...there's actually sort of a meaning behind my name."

"Oh? After King Arthur? Because that would be brilliant."

"No, not him. At the start we were all given a sequence of numbers as identifiers, we were dying often enough that naming us probably seemed pointless to them at first. Then, when it was decided that we needed regular names to better fit in to the world we'd eventually be infiltrating, the doctor in charge of us told his head assistant to take care of said naming. The assistant, Beckett, he had a-twisted sense of humor, as well as a love of irony, so he decided that it would be amusing to name us all after comic book characters, because of the name of our compound."

"Alright, you've lost me there. I grew up reading comic books like mad as a lad and..." Trailing off Eames shifted so that they weren't so close, so that he could turn his body so that they were facing each other as well as they could. "You said you were from the Sullivan compound and they-"

"We said they could vouch for us. Would come to our aid if we needed them to. But we weren't raised with them. We weren't lucky enough to be born in their compound."

Eames was silent, though he reached out and began playing with Arthur's fingers for several moments before he said it out loud, his voice very quiet and serious. "The only compound that automatically brings comic books to mind would be Gotham...but that compound and all its hybrids were killed in an explosion before our governments could rescue them."

A deep breath, and then the truth. "Yes. That's what we wanted people to think. We weren't like the wolves or the other hybrids, Eames. We were never intended to be soldiers or key figures in governments or major businesses and the media. The hybrids of Gotham were created to be assassin and spies. For wet work and espionage. Eames, we were taught how to blow pretty much anything up before we hit the double digits. We sent you the information about the continued testing, and we blew up our compound and erased every scrap of data we could about us, so that if either generation of wolves discovered we were still alive they would have no idea who they were dealing with."

"Arthur..."

"I can't give you our numbers or where the others are or any data on them. The less you know the better. I'm only telling you this much because I don't want to keep more secrets from you then I have to. And because I want you to know that I survived the worst compound there was, and that my body was experimented on, cut open and stitched back up so many times I wouldn't know the exact number if I hadn't seen the records they kept. Whatever your mother has to do to get our babies out of me and into our arms...I can take it. And they're tough enough to take it too. The force of their kicks alone makes that clear." Reaching out Arthur took one of Eames's hands and brought it over to his belly, splaying the fingers out over the mound where their frisky kips 'played'. "They're miracles to begin with. And miracles aren't easy to extinguish."

A long, drawn out silence, and then it was Eames's turn to let out a slow, controlled breath before speaking again.

"Why didn't you want us to find you? Help you?"

"Eames...we didn't trust each other, much less outsiders. We left...other hybrids behind when we blew the place because they were exactly what we were designed to be, and some of the ones that came with us would still slit my throat without a drop of remorse if they felt I was a danger to them. Those of us who teamed up to get out only worked together to escape because we weren't going to get out otherwise. The group I was in afterwards, we stayed together as much for survival as...kinship so to speak. And even if we had decided to trust your government with our lives, we couldn't let Bane's compound know about us."

"Why not?"

Taking that to mean the second generation of wolves had kept mum on what they knew about the Gotham Compound, big surprise there, Arthur explained as best he could without giving too much away. "We wanted them to think we were dead because we couldn't be sure how much Talia's father had told them about us. About what we were capable of and our specialized training where they were concerned. Honestly we're not sure how much al Ghul knew, just that he was sticking his nose into our affairs and asking questions they didn't want him asking about us. The people in charge, the ones who financed the experiments, they didn't trust him any more than I'd imagine he trusted them. His wolves were his protection against the organization, and we were supposed to be the organization's protection against him and his wolves. We were raised not to care about the other hybrids, and to view the top wolves in Bane's compound as future prey."

"Just the top ones?"

"It was hoped that with the alphas taken out, the rest would be so desperate for leadership that they'd allow themselves to be assimilated into the organization. That's their major weakness you see, both with Talia and her father. They made the majority of the pack dependant, unable to think for themselves because they were conditioned to follow, not lead. Even Bane is Talia's bitch simply because he was raised to believe the al Ghuls were to be followed without question."

Nodding automatically in agreement, Eames didn't try to argue the point because yeah, it was pretty obvious to everyone that Talia had his cousin whipped, big time. Pathetically so. And really, he should be congratulated for handling this so well, though perhaps he was simply in shock and that fact hadn't really sunk in yet. Cheerful thought, that. Right up there with the fact that there were apparently a bunch of assassin hybrids out there that had been raised to view his cousin as an entree. Bane was too big to be an appetizer.

"And that concludes what I'm going to tell you, at least until we're away from here and you're actually going to meet some of the others who will want to meet you."

"That sounds rather ominous."

"Don't worry. They know what I'm capable of."

Eames's hand came up to stroke through Arthur's currently un-gelled curls. "That also sounds rather ominous. This have to do with why you won't show me your fangs?"

"Yes." And knowing the look Eames sent his way all too well, Arthur blew out a breath and then relented, figuring he might as well get it over with. Eames was too curious for his own good, and it was only a matter of time before Eames's mother convinced him to let her X-ray him. "I'm venomous, lethally so. There's no antidote."

Putting two and two together Eames asked if the other half of Arthur's DNA was a snake of some sort.

Nodding, Arthur explained that it was, though the cobra DNA had been modified before it had been administered so that his venom was actually a whole new type that was unique to him. The venom of other highly venomous snakes had been added into the gene pool so to speak, so that there wouldn't be an antidote available to his targets. What went unsaid was the fact that his venom was so lethal, the odds that the person he'd bitten would have time to know he or she was dying was highly unlikely.

"Okay. And that's all you're telling me for now, right?"

"For now, yes."

Nodding acceptance of that, what else could he do, Eames promised not to ask to see his fangs again unless they were in a really tight spot and that was the only weapon at their disposal.

"Sounds like a plan to me."

)

The constant kicking continued into the next week, Arthur taking to calling his children less than nice things in foreign languages so that Eames and most of the other people who were around him didn't know what he was saying. The few times one did recognize a word and called him on it Arthur soon had them dropping the subject and fleeing for their lives because yeah, a sleep deprived, hormone controlled bad-ass with a fondness for guns was not someone you wanted to piss off. Particularly when that someone was extremely pregnant and therefore not someone you could attack in turn.

To say they all considered kissing Arthur's ass that week to be their only means of survival would not be an understatement.

Lying on the couch and feeling like a beached whale with serious indigestion, Arthur could only marvel that his life had come to this. It was either the couch or bed for him these days, and it was slowly driving him insane. Or at least he was aware of that when his stupid pregnancy hormones didn't have him by his throat, pushing his buttons with childlike glee. Of course being aware that he was being a little psychotic wasn't great either, especially when he realized after the fact that breaking that lamp off Eames's shoulder and calling his twin so badly dressed he made Liberace look like Tom Ford had both been a bit harsh. He could have at least said Elton John, since the man's hair was normal at least.

Salar, wise man, had the sense to stay out of his way, and Quinn was making him sundaes whenever he wanted them since the babies had developed an obsession with them after she made him one after dinner a couple days ago. For that alone she was shielded from his hormone induced wrath.

Speaking of which... "Quinn?"

"Coming right up, Mommy!"

"I love you!" And okay, he was probably eating too many sundaes, but anyone who dared to tell him that was going to end up needing stitches at the very least.

And it was while Arthur was debating whether that was too hormonal or would actually be justified that Eames's voice interrupted his thoughts, which was probably for the best anyway.

"Darling, does your impending sundae fix mean that it's safe to come into the room, or should I wait until you actually have your treat before I come into your line of vision?"

Struggling and failing to turn enough that he could see Eames to scowl at him, Arthur blew out an annoyed breath, reminded himself that he was a sane, highly rational man and not a hormonal psycho, and then told Eames that it was safe for him to come over.

That Eames took his time slowly edging into his line of vision would have amused Arthur under different circumstances, but at the moment it just irked him that much more. But pushing that aside, he was not going to let his body control him come hell or high water, Arthur worked up a smile and asked him what was up.

Moving over Eames took a seat on the floor, sitting cross-legged and facing Arthur. It unfortunately put his face in easy punching distance, but Eames figured that taking some beatings was the least he could do given the fact that his fashion obsessed, perfectly dressed point man was looking like he'd swallowed a huge beach ball. The fact that Arthur was being forced to wear his jumpers and wear sweat pants full time was just insult to the already considerable injury in Arthur's no doubt detailed and comprehensive shit list.

"I thought it best that we sit down and finally hammer out the name thing so to speak. I mean we're almost due-you're almost due." Eames hastily corrected, recognizing the look that had come into Arthur's eyes. It was the look his lover gave anyone besides his mum who dared suggest they had any understanding of what he was going through, and that look was usually followed by the sharpest edge of Arthur's tongue. "So since you won't want to have this discussion while you're hopped up on drugs, and they really should have names once they're out..."

"You have a point." And the fact that Eames had reached this conclusion before him pissed Arthur off enough that he had to count to ten and remind himself that in a week or so he'd be back to normal, and all would be right with his world again. But that of course wasn't true since then he'd be facing all the joys of being the parent of two loud infants who would continue to deprive him of sleep and sanity because they-

"I...uh...made another list." Eames pulled it out of his pocket for emphasis.

Yeah, they had not been having luck with the name thing, Arthur acknowledged as he mentally shifted gears, their last talk ending when Eames suggested naming the twins, if they were a boy and a girl, after Magneto's kids. Even with Eames's idea of calling the girl Scarlet after her super name instead of Wanda hadn't saved that conversation.

"What's your new ideas?" Holding his hand out for the list Arthur prayed for strength.

"Well before that...I was thinking about twins, the most famous twins so to speak-"

"If you suggest naming them after the Olson twins if they're girls I will hurt you."

"Actually I was thinking Luke and Leia."

Opening his mouth to shoot that idea down hard, Arthur paused as he considered the names alone. He actually really liked the sound of Leia, and Luke wasn't bad either. And the idea of naming their children after Star Wars characters wasn't necessarily a bad thing unless the new ones Disney made crashed and burned worse than the Anakin centered movies.

So he considered the idea further, mentally debating with himself for a while before nodding his head. "That would be acceptable. And really, at this point...how about we do it this way. We each name a kid if they're the same gender, and if they aren't then we'll go with our favorite for each from the two names available." The way they'd been kicking them, he was done trying to prevent them from being stuck with horrible names.

"That's brilliant, Darling. Someone's Point Man mojo is back in the groove."

"Are you comparing me to Austin Powers?"

Visibly paling, Eames assured him that he was most certainly not.

"Mhhmm."

Eames was never so glad to see Quinn coming into the room with a large sundae.

)

It was the day before the check-up that could end in surgery, and though Blake had been doing an Academy Award worthy performance all week when it came to pretending he wasn't scared shitless, the ruse was beginning to fray at the edges now that they were so close to D-Day. And it wasn't that he thought his brother would die on the table, because he believed in their bond so absolutely that Blake knew he could will Arthur to live no matter what, as he had too many times before when they were children. There was some fear that the kips wouldn't make it, the loss would devastated his twin and all of them to some extent, but he had to believe that the two babies in his brother's womb had the same bond he and Arthur had, and would will each other to live too. No, what he was afraid of was that Talia would make her move while they were in surgery. It was the perfect time and place. Arthur unconscious and literally exposed internally, and Eames's mother to protect as well as the nurses, not to mention the fact that Talia was dumb enough to think she could work a frame job even, like he'd gone berserk when Arthur died on the table, killed everyone in the room, and she gunned him down, too late to save the others or some such shit.

It wouldn't hold, but Bane was the brains of the wolf operation so to speak.

If she came for them tomorrow he'd kill her, he wouldn't be able to risk just disabling her this time around. And Bane would never forgive him if he did, not to mention the fact that the rest of the bonehead's pack wouldn't take their brainless leader's demise well.

Plus Beta had called dibs on Talia a long time ago. He didn't want her pissed at him either.

Hearing the buzz that signalled a text message on his phone, Blake levered himself out of his web and over to the storage box he'd left it on earlier.

It was from Bane.

Eyes glowing in the darkness of the room, Blake called up the message and read the short message on the screen.

'I'll be there tomorrow. She won't get past me.'


	23. The Big Day

The Big Day

Eames woke up with the vague sense that not only had he not gotten nearly enough sleep, but that he wasn't going to get anymore even if he tried. His attempts to sort through his fuzzy thoughts and figure out why that was was somewhat interrupted by the fact that he could feel a very nice and firm arse rubbing back against him in an obvious encouragement for him to hump that arse until his morning wood was well and truly taken care of. Not that he ever need much encouragement to get up close and personal with this particular arse, Eames thought with a little smile, since it was now his for the taking since Arthur was, thank you, God, his.

Making a pleasurable sound when Arthur reached around with one hand to cup the back of his head, using that to better grind up against him and encourage him to actively participate, Eames grinned sleepily even as he wrapped an arm around Arthur's waist.

It was the shape of the body he was holding that woke Eames up enough to realize both the significance of the day and the fact that given how pregnant Arthur was at this point maybe this wasn't the best idea Arthur had ever had.

"Arthur…"

"Eames." Arthur's tone of voice warned of dire consequences if he didn't get what he wanted. "If there's any justice in this world the twins are coming out today and that means our lives are going to revolve around two infants for the foreseeable future. That will severely cut into our time alone, not to mention destroy our sex life, so this might be our last chance for a while. So if you want me to not kill you later you'll fuck me and do a damn good job of it."

"Uhm…I'm pretty sure I heard somewhere that orgasms can cause labor." Though Eames hoped not, especially since he was starting to see Arthur's point. They should definitely have the sex while they could before their lives revolved around feedings, changings, and general baby mania.

A snort was Arthur's response before he very dryly pointed out that his body hadn't been so greatly altered that he had a birth canal the twins could travel down. It was obvious to anyone with any understanding of the human body that he'd only been given the bare necessities when it came to what was needed to produce a child. A C-section had always been the intended method of extracting any young he might produce. Ergo, odds were he couldn't even go into real labor and even if he did…well the twins wouldn't be going anywhere and there would be time to get help in time.

That did make sense, but Eames still found the idea of them having sex, especially when he might be holding his children in a few hours, to be a little perverted and wrong.

Rolling his eyes over Eames's explanation Arthur shook his head slightly and then told Eames that if he knew what was good for him he wouldn't tell the mother of his children no right now.

Not wanting to argue Eames sighed dramatically, but it was mostly faked since he really did want to shag, especially with Arthur's arse starting to move against him so perfectly. "Oh all right, but very gently, Darling, just in case. I don't think either of us wants my mum figuring out what we've been up to when she gets you naked for the operation today."

"Good point."

Shucking out of his pajama bottoms easily enough Eames kissed Arthur's shoulder before asking for the lube, wanting to insure that things went as smoothly, ha ha, as they could given Arthur's current condition and size.

Handing it over Arthur told him that he wouldn't need to use that much since he'd already seen to his ass in that area.

"Oh?"

Arthur's response was wry. "I was hoping earlier that a good orgasm would knock me out for a couple hours, but no such luck."

"Sorry I wasn't awake to help."

Slicking himself up Eames found that Arthur was indeed more than ready for him, sliding in easily and immediately rewarded for his entry by Arthur's body and the happy little purring sounds his kitty made to show his appreciation. Keeping his thrusts as slow and gentle as possible, there was no rush and if this was going to be their last time for a while he wanted to draw it out, Eames kissed along Arthur's neck and shoulder as he moved his hips, Arthur rocking back against him while he continued to purr for more.

It wasn`t really about climaxing, just touching and making each other feel good was enough. A physical way of reminding the other how much they cared even if they were both being idiots and not really saying it outloud the way logic said they should. But they were men of action, they both reasoned, and they were sure that the other knew how he felt about him.

Of course the underlying worry that something could go wrong haunted the backs of their minds as well, both having seen shit hit the fan more than enough times to know that even perfectly planned and executed plans could go to hell in a hand basket in the blink of an eye for no apparent reason.

It was that thought that had Eames tightening his grip a little more, the forger making the effort now to tell Arthur how beautiful and sexy he looked pregnant, and how he was going to be even more gorgeous holding their babies in his arms. He couldn`t wait to see it.

Keen ears catching the worries that underlined those words Arthur made soothing sounds in return and stroked his fingers through Eames`s hair, banking his own fears to try and get rid of Eames's.

It was the fact that neither wanted the other to worry about what was to come that had them both seeking the release and contentment their orgasms would bring, Eames taking Arthur`s erection in hand to jerk him off in time to his thrusts while Arthur egged him on and thrusted back more insistently to take him that much deeper.

They were together, a team, they both silently communicated together. And they were meant to be together. They'd fight to the death to keep it that way.

Nothing was going to change that.

)

A few hours later, as promised, Bane showed up at the hospital for the appointment to act as a guard if Talia showed up, the wolf bringing Barsad with him as backup just in case. The two of them plus Blake, Quinn and Salar would be guarding the entrances to first the examination room and then the operating room if necessary, which is was as Eames's mother's tests and scans all indicated that the twins were ready to safely be extracted from Arthur's stomach. Everything had been set up, it was simply up to Eames and Arthur if they were ready to proceed or wanted to wait a bit longer.

"Out. Now." The look Arthur aimed in Eames's direction warned of dire, likely life threatening consequences if he disagreed because Arthur was more than ready to not be pregnant, and if they dragged this out they were liable to drive each other insane with worry on top of that.

Showing great wisdom Eames nodded without hesitation. "Let's do it."

Since Eames wasn't leaving Arthur's side until it was all over Eames's mother headed out to tell the guards where to go and then left to prepare for the surgery, leaving Blake to order his guards around as to their assigned stations given the room`s two exits.

"Salar and Quinn, you'll be with Barsad at-"

"You keep Quinn with you. I'll guard with Salar and Barsad."

The five looking in Kingsley's direction, they'd been aware of his presence but hadn't realized he intended to act as a guard too, Blake nodded, accepting the offer. He knew the older man's reputation and abilities, and trusted that at the very least the wolf would be able to offer some kind of warning if trouble did come. He also knew that Kingsley had a good relationship with both the wolves he'd be assigned with, and that would make things easier on that front.

Pleased to hear that she was going to get to stay with her daddy Quinn agreed that that was a good idea, even if it did mean she was stuck spending time with Bane, who she shot a suspicious look at. Again.

Not bothering to tell her to play nice, there wasn't much point in this case, Blake turned his attention to confirming the signals to be given in the event of trouble and then said goodbye to the ones who'd be watching the other door, Blake taking position in front of his assigned doors with a loved one on either side of him. Even if he wasn't about to admit it outloud.

"You don't wish to be in there with him?" Bane's tone made it clear that that was what he'd expected given the number of people there to watch the doors, particularly as Kingsley could easily call in more if need be.

"If she comes this way you'll hesitate, and Quinn will take her out. Then you'll kill Quinn in retaliation and then I'll have to kill you. This way I'll be on hand to insure my family is safe on all fronts. If I'm needed in the room Eames will let me know." It was a hard choice, on a number of levels, but Blake was far from unfamiliar when it came to hard choices and he knew that there wouldn't be anything he could do for his brother even if he were in the room. Right now what Arthur needed was his protection, not someone else to hold his hand. That was Eames's job.

And he`d said all he needed to say to his brother earlier, Blake silently reminded himself. They`d seen the other off to be cut open way too many times since they were old enough to understand what was being done to them, and they`d long ago adopted the habit of not even acknowledging the possibility that one of them might not leave one of those sterile, machine filled rooms alive. They simply gave each other a look that demanded the other return to him and that was that.

It had worked for them thus far.

Rather than argue about Blake needing to stay outside rather than go into the room to be with his brother, Bane simply looked at him for several moments before quietly stating that Arthur and the man's offspring would be fine.

"Damn right they will be." He refused to believe otherwise, and instead resolutely turned his attention to thinking about what was going to happen in the next hour or so.

Given his research into C-sections Blake knew that the whole thing could take about an hour from start to finish, there was the placenta and the suturing to worrying about, plus the unexpected surprises that could come up because Arthur was no ordinary mother. But it wouldn't be that long in the grand scheme of things, which was a small silver lining. They often been in surgery for hours that had dragged on and on for the one not on the table.

Please let this one go quick and without surprises.

About fifteen minutes into the surgery their sensitive ears caught the sound of twin cries coming from the room, Blake breaking out into a wide grin while Quinn jumped up and down before sticking her head in the doorway to make sure that she`d gotten the two little brothers she'd asked for.

Luckily for all involved Eames called back that yes, they were both boys.

After hugging Quinn and then reminding her that they were still on guard duty, Blake looked over at Bane and took his former lover's hand, squeezing it in a show of affection and thanks that he was there. Grateful when Bane squeezed back.

A little over an hour later Eames came out to say that Arthur was just fine and that they had the two most beautiful babies that had ever been born, the forger looking like he'd noticeably aged since last they saw him, though he was grinning from ear to ear now.

Telling Blake and Quinn that he`d continue to keep watch Bane told the two to go back in with Eames so that they could see the other three members of their family for themselves. And though they hesitated for just a moment they both thanked him and then headed into the room with Eames to get a look at the newest members of their family and check on Arthur while Bane stood guard.

)

Drifting in a haze Arthur was vaguely aware of Eames's voice, but there was no urgency in it and he was really enjoying just floating, especially after a week of having his stomach used as a football over and over again by two very active twins. Sleep was definitely called for after having to deal with babies who didn't seem to get the concept that kicking their parent was not a great way to endear themselves to him, especially considering all the damn peanut butter and banana sandwiches they'd made him eat these past few months. In fact, if he never had another one of those sandwiches it would be too damn soon and-the babies. The surgery. Were the babies all right?

Fighting the weights that seemed to be holding down his eyes Arthur forced himself into wakefulness through sheer will, his eyelashes fluttering like trapped birds as he struggled to open them, able to hear Eames's voice much clearer now. Eames was telling him to wake up and that was sure as hell what he was going to do.

Eyes finally open Arthur had to blink a few times to focus, and then Eames's face was leaning over his and he was all Arthur could see or wanted to see aside from their children.

"The twins?"

Eames beamed at him, Arthur unable to remember a time he'd seen the man smile more widely.

"They're beautiful. The most beautiful-Blake took them. He's already head over heels in love with them and who could bloody well blame him. They're perfect-I'll go get them from him. Do you need anything? Mum said you wouldn't wake up for a few more hours but I told her you would. Blake agreed with me and-are you hurting? Do you need drugs?"

Well aware of the fact that he'd just winced, trying to sit up a little had not been one of his better ideas, Arthur forced himself to remain lying down even though he wanted to get up and find his babies himself.

"Go get them."

With a smartass grin Eames saluted him and assured him that he'd be back in a jiff, which he actually was since Blake had been on his way back to the recovery room anyway because he'd gotten a feeling that he should.

Since Arthur had been mentally telling his brother to bring him his babies NOW Arthur wasn't surprised when both his brother and Eames were leaning over him moments later, though it was the baby they each held that automatically drew his gaze. Looking back and forth between the two sleeping faces, they really were the most adorable things he'd ever seen with both babies sporting thick black hair on their heads…and additional, velvety looking ears on the tops of said heads to go with the tails that had been visible on the ultrasounds. And since they were both wrapped in blue blankets…

"Both boys?"

"They are, Darling." Eames grinned down stupidly at the boy he held and then he winked in Arthur's direction. "I thought we'd name this handsome devil Bob."

Immediately Arthur's eyes narrowed, his voice definitely a little hissy. "You want to name him Bob?!"

Chuckling, Eames shook his head. "No, Luv, I just wanted to see your face. He's Luke, just as we discussed. The other one's been waiting for his Mum to tell him his name."

Deciding to ignore the mum comment, he couldn't deny that he was the one who had gotten knocked up and carried their babies to term so to speak, Arthur decided he would smack Eames later for the Bob joke. He wasn't up to hitting the man hard enough at the moment anyway. Instead he turned his head to focus on the son who still needed a name, the boy still sleeping away in Blake's arms with no idea what was going on.

"Luke works for the other one, he's been a sweetie so far." Blake told him with a grin, lowering the baby further so Arthur could look into his son's sleeping face. "This one though, he's got some serious lungs on him and he used them when he came out, let me tell you. And he's got a look in his eyes, I think this one's going to take after Eames and I."

"Oh goody." Grinning a little stupidly at the idea Arthur ignored the pain he felt as he shifted a little so that he could lift a hand to very carefully brush his fingertips across the baby's skin, everything melting inside him at the sensation of touching that baby smooth cheek.

"So you're going to be nothing but trouble, are you? The one who's been kicking my insides like mad, no doubt." Smile still on his face Arthur couldn't help but ditch the top three names he'd had in his head for his son, none of them feeling quite right as he looked at the little face beside his own, watching the eyelashes slowly being to flutter before the eyes were revealed, not slitted like his but the blue all babies were born with, which would change in time to whatever color they were meant to be. He hoped they'd be like Eames's.

Probably would be, Arthur thought as those eyes focused in on him, something about them giving him a feeling that yes, yes this one was going to be a boisterous, wily little bugger that would age him before his time but who he already loved with all his-

"Wilee."

"Wily?" Blake and Eames repeated.

"For a name. What about Wilee? W-I-L-E-E. Not the other spelling, then he'd be compared to that roadrunner obsessed coyote from the Looney Tunes show. Wilee and Luke."

While Blake chuckled over that Eames leaned across the bed to place a kiss first on Arthur's forehead and then on their son's. "Wilee. I like it. I'll tell the nurse so that the paperwork will all be in order. I know you hate when paperwork isn't finished in a timely manner."

Eyes closing for a moment, damn but he was tired, Arthur forced them open again to smile one last time at his Wilee before turning his head to demand an up close look at Luke before he passed out again.

Eames was happy to oblige.


	24. Life's Surprises

Life's Surprises

Eames and Arthur were a hundred percent sure that there had never been babies as gorgeous, smart and destined for greatness as theirs. Of course their babies also slowly driving them insane for the first two weeks because one, they were all so paranoid that the babies might suffer some medical issue if they weren't watched twenty four seven, and two, none of them had ever been parents and it was ten times more terrifying than any of them had ever imagined it would be. Even for the ones who weren't actual parents.

The babies were so small and helpless, only able to cry when something was wrong so that the adults in the room were turned in nearly hysterical idiots as they tried to interpret what the babies were trying to tell them. Not an easy thing to do once they realized that if one was upset his brother would often start crying in sympathy which made everything twice as bad and confusing.

That Arthur was still recovering from the C section and the surgery that had had to be done to deal with the intricacies of his altered body didn't help matters, especially since he was not the lie around in bed and rest type. Not to mention the fact that his protective instincts where the twins were concerned was downright feral at times, meaning that he wanted them around him as much as possible and would ignore his own pain to try and take care of them even when he wasn't actually up to it. After the first few times everyone had given up on trying to rein Arthur in, if he caused one of them serious injury they'd really be screwed, especially after Quinn had to return home. Her husband had a weak immune system and the hybrid was well known for living in denial about being sick until he was so sick he couldn't deny it when his wife wasn't around to verbally abuse him into taking care of himself. Before he'd met Quinn he'd nearly died because of what would be simple colds to most, and that was why when one of the hybrid's pack mates had given her a call to let her know that her man was sick she'd regretfully had to head out with a promise to be back as soon as possible.

They'd all understood of course, but after the third day without her they were more than a little frayed around their edges, both babies and adults. So they weren't exactly thrilled to have company arrive unexpectedly, but they welcomed Kingsley inside and Eames carefully brought Arthur down because he knew if anything important was talked about his love would be royally pissed to miss out.

Naturally the usual pleasantries had to be observed and the babies held and fussed over a little before the older man returned them to Blake, who brought them over to lie on the floor on a blanket in front of the couch Arthur was lying on. Once there he dropped down to sit beside them while Eames continued to sit beside his godfather on the other couch.

"Emily mentioned how ragged you boys are being run, especially since it's not just the kips but the security of the house and them you're worried about. And I know you haven't asked anyone for help with the latter, both because you don't know who to trust and because you don't want to be indebted to anyone either. That's understandable. But you all need some proper rest and that's why I'm here."

Blake smirked. "You offering to play babysitter?"

"No, I'm offering mine and someone I trust's services to watch the place for you. And I'll be upfront, the other man is Barsad, but he's loyal to me as much as he is to Bane. He's a man of honor, and he would never hurt a child. He's offering if you're willing."

Both Arthur and Blake's eyes narrowed suspiciously, prompting Eames to explain.

"His daughter Layla and Barsad were really close in their compound, but she died unexpectedly from a brain aneurism when she was twelve, about seven months before the compounds were liberated. When Barsad came here he made it a point to offer his services if Uncle James ever needed them in her memory. He knew he was her father, you see."

"What happen to your daughter was very unfortunate." Arthur softly stated, his eyes dropping down to look at his own children before they came up again to meet Kingsley's. "I trust your word, and everything I know about Barsad's character says that he would be the member of his pack I'd trust most to go against Talia for the right reasons, but to ask this of him-"

"He offered. Bane's agreed to it and will speak to Talia if she has a problem with it."

Another shared look between the twins before they stated that they'd have to think about it first. They'd get back to him.

"Alright." Inclining his head Kingsley didn't push, instead changing the subject to the other reason he'd stopped by, asking the two felines if they knew who Doctor Daniel Ogdin was.

The look in their eyes made it clear that Arthur and Blake did indeed know who that was, Blake answering for the two of them as he stated that Dr. Ogdin was the doctor who'd headed the original experiments and then had been the doctor in charge of the second generation of wolves after being recruited to continue his experiments in the United States. After the compounds had been closed he'd been brought back to England, ruled too valuable by the British government to imprison for life like the majority of his colleagues.

"Yes, and as you probably know he often consults with Emily when it comes to the care and treatment of many of the hybrids. He's going to be coming here in a week to do some testing, and if you would like he could look over the twins since they are the only known hybrids with three different strains of animal DNA as well as human."

"No." Arthur's voice broke no argument.

In agreement to a point Eames stated that there was no reason for the man to examine their sons unless some health problem arose that his mum couldn't handle.

"We'd prefer that Dr. Ogdin not know we were here or the fact that the twins even exist. You might have all pardoned him for his sins…but we have not." Blake added. "If he needs to be consulted or made aware of us that's one thing, but if he starts hounding us, as he would if he knew about the children, I will not play nice with him."

Acknowledging the fact that yes, there was no question Ogdin would be relentless in wanting to study and learn everything there was to know about the new twins, Kingsley said he was fine passing the word on to his own people that both sets of twins were not to be discussed while the doctor was visiting.

Kingsley's lips curled ever so slightly as he suggested that Blake talk to Bane about seeing to it that the man's pack did the same.

Blake's grin was wide and just a little evil as he assured them that yes, he could easily take care of that.

)

Despite their exhaustion Arthur and Blake, along with an assist from Beta from across the ocean, made plans to arrange for Blake to see Bane on their terms. Now that they knew that Ogdin was planning on paying them a visit it was imperative that the old bastard have no idea that there were twin feline hybrids staying in the town. He hadn't been in charge of their compound but Ogdin had made a few trips over the years to look them over and he would remember them. They'd scared the hell out of him deliberately back in the day, wanting him to know that they knew their lives were his fault and intended to pay him back in full the first chance they got. In the end they'd had to let him live, the weak and disabled of their kind needing his knowledge and expertise to survive, but they hadn't liked letting him live one little bit. So after some hacking, recon, and general knowledge they'd long ago learned about their target, the three came up with a plan and arranged for Eames's parents to be in the cabin so that Blake could slip out with a teasing wink in Salar's direction.

He didn't take it personal when the wolf visibly shuddered in foreboding response.

Bane's house, though it was more of a cottage, was set away from the majority of the other buildings that housed the rest of the man's pack. This was to his advantage, Blake getting delighted little tingles as he easily evaded the guards that patrolled this section of the town as he made his way over to the cottage that he knew would be vacant for the next forty minutes of so. He had to prepare the place for his surprise after all.

Getting through Bane's security took some work, but he was very good at what he did and the wolves were more than a little arrogant when it came to believing that no one could get past their physical defenses to their electronic ones. Well that, Blake acknowledged with a wicked grin, and most people probably figured you'd have to be suicidal to want to piss off Bane by entering his home without permission. It was probably a death warrant for pretty much everyone but a very select few. But sure that he was one of those people Blake thought nothing of strolling right in out of the light rain after he'd temporarily disabled and then restarted the security once inside. From there he went about sitting on the few pieces of furniture in the living room before heading to the upstairs bathroom where he took off his damp clothes and hung them up to dry with the small hope that Bane would mistakenly go to the bathroom first instead of the bedroom as the sight of the clothes would be delicious shock.

Odds were Bane would follow the heavier scent trail though, so Blake shrugged that thought off and got into the shower for a quick rinse under the jets, staying under just long enough to get warm and insure he'd have an easier time leaving his scent all over Bane's bed since that was his next destination.

Donning one of Bane's button up shirts for warmth when he got to the bedroom, Bane's wardrobe and lack thereof the sort that would give Arthur heart palpitations, Blake took a moment to admire how sexy he looked in the lone mirror before he went over to test out the bed, finding it to be a big disappointment to him since the mattress was way too hard and the sheets thin and not nearly warm or dense enough for his liking.

Shaking his head over that Blake got off it on a drawn out sigh and then went hunting for better blankets, finding a couple quilts in a linen closet that looked homemade and rarely used, big surprise. Bringing them back to the bed Blake draped them over the bed and then climbed in, snuggling under them to wait for Bane to come back and find him.

He was wiggling with glee, he couldn't wait.

)

With his parents looking after their grandchildren downstairs, which they were delighted to do for the next couple of hours, Eames snuck into the bedroom where Arthur was currently sleeping and went about putting all his special ops and criminal training to work as he carefully began setting up his surprise. He would have preferred to do this downstairs, but he'd figured the less Arthur moved around the quicker his man would heal up. Of course Arthur, being Arthur, refused to acknowledge his limits and kept trying to do more than he should all the time, so that being the case…well he was doing what he could to limit the strain whenever he could.

Setting the table up in the dim light coming through his bedroom window, Eames lit the twin white candles and then brought the food in quickly, having already plated everything up since he knew that between the light and the scents of the food Arthur was bound to wake up even though he appeared to be sleeping deeply.

"Eames?"

Shaking his head as he marveled over Arthur's ability to sense things even while catnapping, Eames left his spot by the table and went over to take a seat on the bed, reaching out to run a hand through Arthur's un-styled curls. Early that day Blake had chopped off most of his hair so that he looked like a new army recruit, and though objectively speaking Eames would say the other man was still good looking the forger was still glad Arthur was far too vain about his hair to ever willingly do that.

"Good evening, Darling. Ready for some supper?"

"Smells delicious." A pause. "Teddy's special rub. Gimme!"

Laughing as Arthur shoved back his covers Eames waited until they were out of the way and then leaning down carefully scooped the man into his arms and then brought him over to the table to lower him into the chair, Arthur holding his stomach to make the trip into his seat as easy on his body as possible.

"This looks amazing."

Smiling, Eames slowly moved the chair so that Arthur was facing the food and then moved around it to take his seat across from him. He understood that the food came first, especially since Arthur and Blake had both made their weakness for Teddy's special rub quite clear. It was actually rather scary, and keeping the stuff from them had required him to give a fair amount of it to his parents to hold on to for him.

So they ate, Eames enjoying watching Arthur as he did the food, which was indeed as fantastic as Arthur's happy purrs were making it out to be.

"Keep staring and your food's going to get cold." Arthur pointed out as he buttered another roll for himself.

"Yes, Darling."

It wasn't easy to eat despite the fact that Eames knew it to be delicious, the nerves he was feeling and trying to ignore choking up his throat and making the butterflies in his stomach dance like crazy. In his gut he knew, or thought he knew what Arthur would say in response to the question he had for him, but this was also Arthur he was thinking about. Predicting him was like trying to predict the weather a year in advance. You could maybe have a good idea, but Mother Nature was a bitch and always loved to throw people a curve ball.

"You might as well spit it out, whatever's on your mind. I can practically see the wheels turning and you aren't going to be able to eat until you spit it out. What are you thinking?"

Eames sighed, knowing that Arthur was right. "You don't make being romantic easy, do you? Of course when I was trying to come up with our first song I realized the only thing we've ever danced together to was some rap crap and I was forging a blonde airhead whose breasts were almost as big as her head."

Arthur chuckled and agreed that yes, neither of them was good when it came to romance.

"Well I don't know about that. Especially since I went to all the trouble to refresh my memory about a certain sonnet I recall you liking."

Cocking his head to the side Arthur raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Oh?"

He hadn't intended to do this quite so romantically, he hadn't figured Arthur would want that. But Blake had told him to make it special and so he was going to make an arse of himself and pray to all the gods ever worshiped on the planet that Blake hadn't just been messing with him.

Pushing back his chair Eames moved over to Arthur's side, his lover shifting his chair to give him his full attention as those beautiful eyes tracked his every move, going wide when Eames got down on one knee and began to speak.

"I do not love you as if you were salt-rose, or topaz  
or the arrow of carnations the fire shoots off.

I love you as certain dark things are to be loved,  
in secret, between shadow and the soul.

I love you as the plant that never blooms  
but carries in itself the light of hidden flowers;  
thanks to your love a certain solid fragrance,  
risen from the earth, lives darkly in my body.

I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where,  
I love you simply, without problems or pride:  
I love you in this way  
because I don't know any other way of loving  
but this, in which there is no I nor you,  
so intimate that your hand upon my chest is my hand,  
so intimate that when I fall asleep  
it is your eyes that close.

Arthur…would you marry me?"

In the stunned silence Eames withdrew the ring from his trouser pocket, holding it up for Arthur to see. "It's not a traditional engagement ring, it's been in my family for seven generations. I inherited it and I want you to have it because you're family. My family with our boys and you and Blake. And I know it's a little-"

Eames didn't get to finish the sentence because Arthur chose that moment to launch himself out of his chair and at him, the action almost sending them tumbling to the ground with Eames's arms pinwheeling a little before he steadied them both while Arthur just hugged the hell out of him while mumbling how much he loved him.

"Is that a yes, Darling?"

Lifting his head up from where it had been buried against Eames's neck, Arthur beamed at him, eyes wet though no tears fell as he nodded his head rapidly, Eames taking that as his cue to put the ring on Arthur's finger to make it all official.

It fit perfectly. Just like them.

THE END…of this part lol.

)

The second part of this story will be told from Blake and Bane's points of view mainly, hence the split. The title will be 'His Purrfect Mate', the first chapter hopefully up soon. It will also begin where Blake's little section of this let off, since it would be cruel to you guys otherwise lol. Thanks for reading.


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